Romano's Pizzeria — Restaurant in Littleton

Update: I originally left a 2 star review. However, I went with some friends last year and ordered an entree instead of pizza to-go and I was very happy. I think this place is better to enjoy dining in rather than take out. Our server was friendly, had a good sense of humor and was really helpful. I will return if friends or family suggest.

Honestly, I'm not sure how people are still going here and enjoying the food...

I was a server/bartender for 3+ years, so I understand the occasional restaurant mentality, so I wanted to be careful not to judge right away, but unfortunately, nothing about my experience was enjoyable.

It was after lunch hour, and the dining area did not appear to be busy, but I was poorly greeted by what seemed to be a rushed and uninterested server. I won't hold this against her, of course, but her attitude was simply the beginning.

Her extremely long hair was placed in a loose ponytail, and I looked to the female cook who was also in a loose ponytail. No hat or hair net. I suppose I can look over this, but I am worried about food safety. Fingers crossed, I do not get sick from my food.

What really made me write this review was the food. I want to blame the cooks on this one because this restaurant has clearly been in business for a long time with loyal customers.

I ordered a pizza, and not only was the crust dry and lacking decent texture, but the pizza seemed to have been cooked at improper temperature. Unfortunately, I had frozen pizzas better than this. The only way I could get through eating it was extra parmesan cheese, but the stiff and dry texture of the crust ruined everything. My first thought, one bite in, was Chuckey Cheese. Ouch, sorry Ramano's, but there is seriously no attention to detail by the chef or management here.

I wish Romano's the best. Clearly, they have a loyal following, but I do not ever see myself returning for a pizza. Maybe a spaghetti dish, but unlikely.

Hopefully Romano's can alter their cooking style and consider creating a more strict working environment for what seems to be a casual, lack of passion work...

Used to love this place. A Littleton favorite for many years. Sadly, times have changed. Wish we had taken pictures, but we were not prepared. It was a late evening meal - we were starving and not thinking.

On this recent visit, the service was so inattentive, we had to ask for our drinks, ask about the status of our meal (twice), ask for refills on our drinks and even, unbelievably, ask for our check. It seemed that our young waitress was either a novice in training, or simply more concerned with playing around in the back. Other servers were on their ear pods, touching their faces and running fingers through their hair and then serving food. We never saw one employee in the hour and a half we were there wash their hands except for a cook who returned from the restroom (we only assumed he had washed his hands as he was “air-drying” them on his way back to the kitchen).

Other issues: Our table was not wiped down properly, as it showed many clear signs of the previous diner’s meals. But, the floor throughout the restaurant was the worst impression of all - from the lobby to our seats and all around, literally, it was strewn about with food crumbs, napkins and all kinds of filth. We were seated in a booth near the kitchen, so we had the very unfortunate experience of also being able to see the filthiness of the prep area and it was disgusting.

One look into the kitchen area was enough to curb my appetite. It was obvious a broom and mop had not visited anywhere under the equipment or tables in many months. It was also apparent that the stainless steel was wrongly assumed to be self-cleaning by the staff. Maybe the tops were clean, but the sides bragged of meals prepared long ago.

Any restaurant this dirty has pests or vermin, guaranteed. And, where pests and vermin thrive, so does bacteria and illness.

I would strongly recommend that you avoid Romanos until they get their act together. I...

I tried them today after hearing many good things from people with my mom and her friend. Very much disability friendly which is always a plus. Enough room in the dining room for a wheelchair to get through. Decorations were a bit old school but it still gave a nice homestyle family vibe. The menu was clear and detailed but the few questions I had were very well answered by our waitress. I wish I had caught her name, my mom is a bit silly and she didn't mess a step when dealing with her.

I am not a wine or beer drinker but if you read through the wine list it appears that a poet wrote the descriptions so I was sold on a fancy glass. But if you get a house wine (which was also tasty but I don't recall which one my mother ordered) you can get it a half or whole liter also.

We ordered the bruschetta, I'm not a huge fan of tomatoes but if it's done right with the bread, cheese, fresh basil, and balsamic it's delicious. They did do it right perfect crisp on the bread, yummy cheese, and super fresh tomatoes. A bread basket was provided and it was so high quality bread also. My companions both got fettuccine chicken Alfredo that I had to nibble on, I have been ruined after making my own Alfredo at home but this was creamy and super well seasoned I loved it. Red sauces don't agree with me so I ordered the stuffed shells with creamy spinach sauce. Will be back just because of the sauce. Mouth watering and despite being full I could not stop eating it. The shells and the stuffing were top knotch but that sauceeee. Dip that bread in it, you will...