roman bistro

one of our favorites!. we have never had a bad meal here. from the appetizers to the entrees, everything is fabulous! we are a big fan of the appetizers! i think we have tried almost all of them and love them all! our favorites are the poutine, the stuffed peppers and the zucchini. also love the bada bing shrimp and beans and greens. the seafood entrees have all been amazing too. we love the dinner specials and happy hour specials. rb now has my favorite burger - the gouda burger is as gouda as it gets!

we go as a couple, brought our family and friends. i bring my clients and co-workers here and they all rave about it. everyone we have turned on to this place are fans after their experience here. it's obvious the word is out, as it has become quite busy especially during the weekends. make ressies if you are going during peak times. i hear they have an amazing brunch. that is next on our list.

our service has always been top notch. our favorite server is drew. he is attentive and always pleasant and knowledgeable about themenuoptions.

the restaurant is designed and decorated perfectly. the front of the house is great for lunches and happy hour get togethers, while the rear of the restaurant is tastefully decorated for a quieter dining experience. super clean inside and convenient parking make this one of the best options in the area.


-----21 mar, 2015-----

another great meal!. this was our second visit to roman bistro and it certainly won't be our last! we enjoyed the gouda burger and the blackened prime rib sandwich along with the poutine. our son had the wings and pasta. we are already planning on a return visit soon with friends. happy hour specials are great!


-----07 feb, 2015-----

forest hills favorite. we were pleasantly surprised by our recent experience at roman bistro. we were looking for an italian restaurant with some seafood options for an anniversary celebration. there were 4 in our dining party on a friday night.

as you enter, there is a spacious hostess area directly across from the bar. the bar area was busy and there was also a front dining area that appeared to be filled. we arrived around 6:30 and the place was very active, but we were seated immediately. there were several dining areas in the back which provided for a more quiet dining experience for families or couples wanting to actually converse. the decor was tastefully done throughout the entire restaurant. i was impressed.

they offered some daily blackboard specials that sounded interesting. themenuhad a wide variety of italian dishes, seafood, burgers, sandwiches, appetizers, salads, etc. there is something for everyone.

they offer a vast selection of craft beers and even have a cigar shop. the guys sampled some of the beer, we ladies opted for a pitcher of the house made sangria which was tasty.

we choose to try the roman style poutine for an appetizer. it was different than other poutines you may have tried, but this was amazing. we could not stop eating it!

for our entrees, 2 of us went with one of specials, halibut with sweet chili sauce. it came with white rice and snow peas. it was cooked perfectly. i only wish there would have been more of the chili sauce.

our other entrees were the sausage and gnocchi in vodka sauce - very tasty and the chicken romano which was plated perfectly and was reported as delicious.

we all ended our meal by sharing a dessert of tiramisu. it was delish.

our service was efficient, friendly and attentive.

finally, a place to go for dinner in the area that you can be sure to find a meal that will satisfy anyone in your group. prices are what you would expect for what you would select from burgers to "foodie fabulous" dining. i would recommend to others and would not hesitate to go again.

italians are proud of their large, hearty "sangwiches" an italian sandwich should be filled with great meats and cheeses and it should be large enough that you can order a half or whole hoagie, that was the worst penny-pinching, stingy, cheap sandwich i ever had anywhere!!!  if you’re not going to do it right then take it off themenuand do us "sangwich" lovin italians a favor, a real italian would be embarrassed to serve that to anyone!

really great italian food and atomosphere. some of my favoritemenuitems are osso bucco, salmon au poirre (sp) with pasta pockets with figs and gorgonsola, chicken romona like you've never had it over linguini with a white wine suace, great fish dishs like mahi mahi and halibut, specials every day, half off wine on tuesdays, i'm getting hungry.


-----15 mar, 2015-----

roman bistro has best italian food around. roman bistro has really good and different italian food. pasta pockets stuffed with figs, chick roman with lemon wine sauce, beet salad, oso bucco and specials every day and half off wine on tuesdays. nice place and very good staff including dante, drew and michelle.


-----09 sep, 2014-----

roman bistro is great italian food. where do i start, everything is so good. nice place and nice servers. very good wedding soup and soup of the day. some different italian dishs i like are osso bucco and au provoire salmon with fig pasta pockets, you have to try this. house wine is very good and priced nicely. tuesday night is half off wine night by the glass or bottle and a good night to go as it's not as crowed as the weekend.


-----08 may, 2014-----

very good soup of the day and wedding soup.
salmon with pasta pockets filled with figs you don't see anywhere else.
also osso bucco is something different and very good.

great place in a small town.. really good food. wide varietymenufrom burgers to pasta to mahi. great staff...always friendly, helpful & accommodating.

christmas eve. the feast of 7 fishes was amazing. great staff, great food. went there with my family and had a tremendous evening


-----25 sep, 2014-----

great food, great beer, great people. if you can combine these 3 as roman bistro has, you will have a winning product. newmenuitems added for the fall season makes theirmenubetter than ever. our "go to" place in the east....

roman bistro has a gluten free menu; just inquire. they have a few appetizers, salads, and entrees that are gluten free. i wasn't expecting to see crab cakes on the gluten freemenuand that peaked my interest.  it's not every day you can order gluten free crab cakes at a restaurant. themenusaid to pre order the crab cakes, so i asked the waitress how far in advance i needed to order them.  did i have to order them before i arrived? could i order them now? she checked with the kitchen and told me i cold order them now and they would be ready with the rest of the table's entrees.  great! i knew what i wanted. the lemon risotto was amazing.  it was just the right consistency, have the perfect amount of tangy lemon, and the cheese complimented the rice so well.  the broccoli was steamed and still crisp. the crab cakes, however, were hard and had the texture of a kaiser roll.  it's not what i prefer in a crab cake.  it was more like a crabby cheddar puff.  sure there was

classy neighborhood type bistro. love the place cause it doesn't take itself too seriously while offering a varied, changingmenuwith usually good, fresh ingredients. good, friendly service. very good hummus appetizer. stuffed pepper was a little too spicy for me. had excellent branzino that rivaled some i've had at expensive places i've taken clients to. wine selection just ok. overall it is a classy, unpretentious neighborhood type bistro.

fantastic experience!. we went to roman bistro tonight to celebrate a special occasion. we were a group of 7. first, the décor was outstanding, and everyone was very friendly and welcoming. the food was delicious. i had the chicken romano--superb. friends had variety of items from the huge burger to flatbread and everyone was happy with their selections. themenuitems offered a good selection, whether in the mood for appetizers, a sandwich or a good entrée. most outstanding was our waitress, tammy. she was very warm and treated us like family. she was very knowledgeable about themenuand offered great suggestions, as it was some of our groups first visit to roman bistro. when returning, i will always ask if tammy is available. we all agreed that we will be back very soon!

gina marie rudolph

horrible. had a long wait when there was only 2 tables. bread was cold. all that can be forgiven if the food was good.menuoffered these delicious sounding dishes and i got microwavable food, sorry stauffer's for putting you in with the restraurant.
inadequate portions. i was expecting high quality food for the prices. don't mind paying the prices and having a smaller portion if the food was good. but bravo has better food and much bigger portions.

don't be fooled by the luxurious interior. this is a horrible restraurant .

great on paper, i had to settle for my third voice on themenubecause the 1st two we're sold out. received no consideration for that. service luke warm. not sure if i'll try again.

great atmosphere and impressive decor; like walking into a fine dinning restaurant but casual with tvs everywhere. dinner was excellent. themenuhas plenty of delicious sounding food to offer many options, each with a twist that makes the place unique. the pork osso bucco will definitely bring me back. the service was very nice.

sea bass with basil pesto polenta. as always, this gem conveniently located on ardmore boulevard in forest hills provided an evening of quiet family conversation and great food. our entrees were the coconut shrimp over risotto, a cooked-to-perfection strip steak with fingerling potatoes and asparagus, and pan seared sea bass served with an incredible basil pesto polenta. we added the roasted beet salad, a bottle of fine wine, and ended with the creme brulee. chef chris klink always cooks to please and never disappoints. whether you want to watch the penguins on the tvs in the bar area or want a more intimate atmosphere in the dining area, roman bistro is the place to go for a reasonably priced meal with attentive service and a diversemenuselection. add free parking in a well-lit lot, clean restrooms, and friendly staff...why wouldn't we want to go there at least every other week?

perfection, once again. on yet another trip to roman bistro, i was once again blown away by the friendly, affable service and wonderful food. sat at the bar to watch the game on one of the many tvs (sound is not too loud, btw - perfect volume to both talk to your dinner companions and hear the game) and ordered the lobster ravioli special. i was shocked to see the dish arrive with a whole lobster claw as part of the dish. that was a "bonus" on the ravioli - never have i seen that before, but what a great way to make a good dish even more memorable. it was delicious, and there were no leftovers to take home.

also worth mentioning again is the servers' calm demeanors, especially when busy, and friendly attitudes. we've met some very nice people working at the bistro from our neighborhood, almost always half our age, so we enjoy a bit of banter (if they're not too busy and have a bit of time to chat, that is) about their hs alma mater, their college classes, or even their pets when we ask. they take time to engage us, and they know that we're just as engaged as well. yes, they are servers, but they aren't servants, and we treat them as such. guess that's my old serving background coming out, but the staff was always been spot-on. they know the menu, know the wine and beer list, and make excellent recommendations. a 30-35% tip has become our standard - the service is that good.

just one more thing to note - the bathrooms are spotless. that goes a long way for customers to turn into repeat business and then into "regulars". that's how you build a good reputation - clean restaurant, good food, and friendly staff.

probably going there for dinner there tonight - see you then !


-----23 jun, 2012-----

why the negatives ?. are we all going to the same place ? alternate universe perhaps ? we've been there twice in just the first week, and were met with friendly, informed staff, wonderful food, a welcoming atmosphere, and an inventivemenuthat may just transform forest hills beyond our taco bell-type reputation. (not that there's anything wrong with taco bell, mind you. i love taco bell.)

as poster travelingdiva noted, the craft beers are not that expensive, but if you want beer on the cheap then just buy a case of pbr and stay home. sure, some items can be pricey, and yes, roman bistro is still in its infancy, but i see genuine promise here. and i'd eat my hat if the owners and chef didn't weed out the bad eggs that perhaps others than myself have seen. our hostesses and servers have been nothing but delightful so far, and we look forward to dinner there this weekend. yep. going on saturday.

give it a chance, please. i so miss the promise that was former-tenant bacchus that just never worked out for whatever reason. roman bistro is a great space with plenty of potential, and i love having the opportunity to have a close-to-home restaurant succeed.


-----19 jun, 2012-----

wonderful experience !. so happy that roman bistro is finally open ! i had high hopes for the new forest hills venture, and glad to say we couldn't have been any more pleased. it's upscale but still casual, hence the flat-screen tvs where you can catch the score of the game and still enjoy your dinner without feeling like you're in a sports bar.

yes, it's new, as we were there on only the second day of operation, and i'm sure there will be some bugs to iron out, but the staff was so friendly, comfortable and accommodating, and were well versed on the menu, wine list, and beer selections. the hostess that greeted us couldn't have been any lovelier (so sorry that i didn't catch her name), and our server, derek, was an absolute gem - attentive, sharp, and quick to refill a diet coke before it was asked for. it's obvious that the owners and chef have trained them well, and that they ensure that they are familiar with the items on the menu. always happy to have a server who has actually tasted the food so they can make an informed recommendation.

hubby and i ordered and shared the roasted beet/goat cheese salad, a caesar salad with to-die-for parmesan "chips", and the phenomenal pork osso bucco - you have to try that when there. served with a creamy polenta and broccoli rabe, the pork is a massive hunk of carefully tended meat that was just perfection. almost embarrassed that when we were done we sent back three *absolutely* empty plates.

we have plans to go back again this week, try something new, and see what happens to the beautiful white steinway grand piano in the entryway. plans for live dinner music are underway, from what i understand. can't wait to see what develops.

congrats, roman bistro. well done.

a great evening ,a fantastic meal , our server was prompt and very friendly and knew themenuthis is my second time there trying a new dish and was very pleased once again . so happy there is a great place to grab a bite without going down town .

perfect day ruined! do not book your event here!!!!. in the beginning of october, my family reserved to have my baby shower here at roman bistro. during the time of booking, the owner and manager both assured them that there was nothing else booked on that day and that everything would be great. as time passed and we got closer to the date of the shower, i had been communicating via e-mail, with the manager. i should have seen the red flags go up when he would take 5-7 days to respond to any of my emails. of course he kept saying how busy he was, but i still had a bad feeling. i had a shower planned for 40+ people and spent so much time and effort planning the perfect day. during our meeting with the manager (about 5 weeks prior to the shower day), we sat down and reviewedmenuoptions, took a tour of the party room and went over cost & pricing. i even took a bunch of pictures of the party room, so that i could plan the decorations & seating arrangements, etc. the day before the shower, i e-mailed the manager to confirm everything and he sounded very weird in his response. he mentioned another baby shower was booked that day (in the mean time of mine being booked) and that seating may be a concern. of course i became extremely nervous, but i was reassured by him that everything was ok and would be great. the day of the shower, i arrived with my team to set everything up and the other shower was already set up in the party room that we had booked over a month ago. i cannot describe how disappointed and crushed i was. at this point, i had 40+ people on their way to the restaurant... what was i supposed to do? the manager acted dumb founded as if he didn't remember our meeting together, he didn't remember the e-mails i sent, he didn't remember me taking pictures of the place, he didn't remember discussing seating arrangements and how we wanted everything set up....he didn't seem to remember anything. so he took me to a very very small section of the place (where there were still people dining from brunch) and told me he would set my party up there. i was terrified but had no choice but to take this small place (enough to hold about 20 people). we were forced to cram 40 people into this space and some of my guests even left because there was no room!!! the shower started and everyone was so uncomfortable and complaining. one of the servers was very upbeat and positive but the other one was very rude & short with all of my guests (as if we weren't already in a bad situation). the manager told me that he would definitely take care of this and give us some sort of discount at the end of the party (once we figured out the final cost). it didn't change the uncomfortable situation, but it made me feel a little relief during the party. well, the shower ended and we went to talk to the manager.... he was gone and left for the night!!! he actually snuck out before he dealt with our problem. the new manager on duty had very little information about the situation and informed us that the general manager told her to "waive the $10 cupcake fee" that we were charged (for bringing in our own cupcakes). as you can imagine, this was adding insult to injury... luckily the owner of the restaurant was there so he came out front to handle the situation. the owner seemed to "feel bad" but didn't offer any type of monetary discount. he just kept saying "what do you want me to do?" and making excuses as to why we were not given the room we booked over a month ago. we obviously wanted a discount of some sort!! he refused to give anything off of the bill and in the end, he gave us $75 in gift cards, which i will never use!! this was the worst experience i've ever had at a restaurant and the worst business i've ever seen conducted. not only is the management completely unorganized, unreliable and not focused on customer service, but the actual owner of this establishment was very nonchalant and seemed to not have any concern for the matter. i know that they were either extremely unorganized or being greedy (which is probably the case) and booked two showers in one day hoping to make an extra several hundred dollars. i hope that extra bit of money was worth all of the bad reviews and bad word of mouth that every one of my 40 guests are going to spread. perhaps if, in the end, we were given a generous discount along with gift cards, things would be different. but these people obviously only care about the short term gain instead of the long term loss and terrible word of mouth. do not book an event here... do not waste your money!!