Went here for dinner on a Friday night. The parking is iffy with the awkwrd driveways and parking but worse comes to worse you can park in the neighboring Kings Bay plaza. Seating was ok. All the tbles were taken but we got a seat within 5 mins so I definitely can't complain about the wait. Service was great. The nephew of the chef helped us out and shared the specials of the night. I ordered a spicy pink sauce pasta dish w chicken and my friend ordered their special snapper dish. Both were really good and and large enough for left overs. I give the 4 stars bc of the parking and design. The crowd was an older set but in pinecrest you cant expect the youngest of groups. The decor was tradditional so you can tell they cater to a more conservative crowd. Overall, the food was great and I would def go again and recommend to friends who aren't looking for loud bars n sports channels.
(4)
Rosa K.
Based on the reviews and looking for a restaurant close to home, my husband and I decided to try Romanza for dinner Saturday night. I was somewhat apprehensive when i realized they are attached to the Quality Inn Hotel. However, once we were inside it was a nice surprise, the place looks really nice, was packed, good atmosphere and friendly service. Even though we did not have reservations they quickly found us a spot. Their menu is extensive and very reasonably priced. We each had a daily special, my husband had the seafood fettuccini and I had salmon with a bruschetta sauce which was delicious. We both enjoyed our generous meal very much and left happy to have found this gem of a place.
(5)
Valerie D.
Trattoria Romanza located next to quality court motel. That seems to be a turn off for some people Yes, it's true it is in that location but who cares the food is amazing!!!!! It is absolutely the best Italian food in the neighborhood and really in Miami. If you order pasta, fish,veal, or chicken every dish is delicious!! Desserts are homemade by the owner and the ricotta cheesecake is divine melt in your mouth. They treat you like family. I go once a week without fail. It truly is a real gem!! The prices are very reasonable. I have never been disappointed in years I've been going there.
(5)
Frank M.
Linguini Putanesca is phenomenal. So was the stuffed artickoe appetizer.
(5)
M W.
Okay, so first the caveats: (1) Romanza is located in a space that is connected/adjacent to the (blah) Quality Inn and appears, from the outside, like it might be the QI's own restaurant; and (2) when you step inside, that thought doesn't change much, with 1980s era decor and, get this, a salad bard (leftover from a prior failed restaurant) repurposed into the wine display case. Oh, and parking is weird because you essentially are parking in the motel lot, outside people's rooms. But the food is great! My date and I both had the Veal Chop Milanese (an evening special) which was pounded thin, breaded and quick-fried. It was fantastic. Dinner came with salad (the actual salad was nothing special but the dressing was great!) and pasta. And get this, those 2 dinners plus 2 glasses of a nice Chianti cost, including tax, $61! So, if you are able to get over the odd location and blah dining room, you will really like this place. If you do, ask for your server to be Dale and to sit at Table 5.
(4)
Rolando S.
We patronize this restaurant on average once a week. I can't stress enough just how fantastic the food is at this place. Frank and Ana are excellent hosts, and provide a great family dining atmosphere. You will need to reserve on weekend early evenings from 7:00pm to 8:30pm. it is packed. The Rack of Lamb is the best you will ever have. Also the Linguini Melafemina is positively outstanding with lobster, shrimp, mussels, clams. They are very reasonably priced. Yes the parking is a bit weird since they are adjacent to a Quality Inn motel, but that's not a deterrent whatsoever. I normally don't make a big deal about salad, but the home recipe of their dressing is second to none. I started going there when they first opened, and the growth of their customer base has skyrocketed by word-of-mouth over the past year. They are truly a successful business, and will probably need to expand very soon to accommodate their high demand for exquisite Italian cuisine. Do yourself a favor, and go eat there. You won't be disappointed.
(5)
Marcela W.
Went to try to have a nice dinner with my mom. We ordered wine, an appetizer AND a dinner plate. We both ate from both plates, we always do that. When we got the bill we were charged for three dishes AND a $4.00 sharing fee which I thought was ridiculous given the fact we HAD ordered two plates. When I questioned the waiter he was very nice and said "oh that's a mistake" and went to try to remove both extra charges. The general manager was there and removed the extra dish, but yelled "it's on the menu!" and sent another waiter to our table with a menu to show us where in the menu it said "$4.00 sharing charge". My argument was that we had ordered two dishes and you had charged us for three so obviously this charge was done manually by the manager given the fact the waiter did not even know about it and truly, how we eat it's really not of their business, as long as we order two different items. They still charged us the $4 and lost a customer and my entire family that usually goes there.
(1)
Sari V.
LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS PLACE! Never disappointed! The lady at the register, which I'm assuming is the owner, is a little cold and rude but the wait staff and the food makes up for that. I always order the special of Lobster, shrimp, clams, mussels....delish! Please make sure you have reservations because she will actually be annoyed with you.
(5)
Suzanne D.
Choose your dishes wisely. The baked ziti has ricotta cheese and mozzarella, of which I am not a fan. A true baked ziti has mozzarella cheese only. Their chicken Parmesan is pretty good and consistent. Their linguine puttanesca is inconsistent. Don't bother with desserts, although their tiramisu is decent, it is a child's portion. As a neighborhood restaurant, it is worth the trip. And for pickup it is just fine.
(3)
Lester M.
Really good food!!! Nothing tastes overpowering. You look at the menu, you ask for what you like, the food comes and then when it hits your stomach you realize is really good food!!!!
(5)
Alexis K.
Was a skeptic at first because of where the restaurant is located ( adjoined with a Quality Inn), but boy was I wrong! The food was exceptional!! I had the Shrimp Fra Diavoli it was a bowl of spicy yumminess. My husband had the Linguini malafimmene , ( I may have spelled this wrong) this was linguini topped off with a lobster tail, mussels, clams in a white wine sauce. He said it wasn't good, it was fantastic! We are planning the next trip. We ordered a cannoli to go because we had to have dessert but were too full, so we ate it later at home. Aye mama!! Que Rico!!
(5)
Andy D.
I came here expecting a bad review, as I read the review of others. However, much to my chagrin the staff here was way above par, very family oriented, friendly and affable. We ordered the Pasta Faggioli and Seafood Salad, stuffed Snapper and Blue Crab. Yes it has an Italian name, but I don't remember it. The pasta Faggioli was a well made white bean soup. There are two dozen ways to make it, but there's was just fine. The Seafood salad by far was the best calamari I have had in a long time. Tender and fresh. There were two huge jumbo shrimp also very fresh. It wasn't dripping with bottled Italian oil and vinegar it was perfectly dressed. The snapper was amazing and easily two portions. Was it heavy garlic no, was there crusty bread, yes and with padded butter, yuck! There was also initially an offensive smell upon entering, but it was just in the entrance area. Good family restaurant !
(4)
Mayra S.
Great Seafood and pasta dishes! Little location in the lobby of hotel... but great services and food.. Veal was amazingly served... and Seafood and pasta in vodka creme sauce were just as mouth watering...
(4)
Mark D.
One big MEH for this place. What you'd expect connected to a Quality Inn. Uninspired decor, a robotic busboy, and a rather apathetic waiter practiced in the art of laissez-faire. Snapper filet was a little overdone to the verge of mushiness and somewhat over seasoned. Accompanying pasta was like generic grocery store brand. Had to be drowned in pepper and olive oil (Which must be asked for....."We NEVER put them on the table" exclaimed the waiter!) The seafood salad, however, was a pleasant surprise, delicious and generous. The price is in line with the amount of food. The waiter took forever to get the check as he was "shooting the breeze" endlessly with another table. I came here mainly because I didn't feel like driving far, but, alas, I think I will not be dining here again. So uninspiring, I didn't even take any photos. MEH!
(2)
Celia M.
Been here a few times and have always enjoyed it. I like their lasagna and they also have a pretty good minestrone soup. Will definitely continue to dine here. The only negative thing is the parking, which can sometimes be tricky and with limited space.
(4)
Michael C.
Having grown up in the neighborhood, I have seen A LOT of restaurants come and go in that space. New York, New York and Snappers being some of the more recent. Romanza has been there for a few years now and I had heard good reviews - though from the Hotel owners. With a lot of older, local Italian joints have closed up, I am glad my parents finally tried it, liked it, and brought me along. We showed up on a Saturday night with reservations for a reason: the place was packed. I haven't seen a packed restaurant like this in Miami for a while. And I wasn't expecting much, but the menu was impressive: a wide selection of Southern Italian dishes from seafood, pasta, chicken, veal and more. My parents always order the Brushetta, which was nice a fresh and possibly unneeded as the entrees come with a salad (with a delicious creamy Italian dressing) and the table a mixed basket of fresh bread. My father ordered the Zuppa di Clams and the Seafood Salad. Both were huge and he took a lot home. The Zuppa came in a huge bowl stacked with clams in a deliciously garlicy sauce. The seafood salad was pretty much a pile of seafood over some greens. When he took them home he combined them into a huge seafood soup for leftovers. My mother got one of the chicken dishes. I wish I could remember which one as there are a lot. But I will tell you this: it was really good. Tender chicken, excellent flavor. As for me, I was recommended both the Linguini Malafemmina and Linguini Marechiara. But I love pink sauces, so I went with the Linguini Con Pesce. Delicious. A nice amount of large shrimp and large scallops over linguini. I quickly consumed the whole pink creamy bowl and sopped up all I could with some bread. Perhaps I should have saved some for leftovers, but it was too good not to wolf down. And all this was barely a dent in the menu. I didn't even talk about the daily specials. One of them was a whole fried snapper that the table close to us got and it looked fantastic - all two feet of it. Glad we have a restaurant like this down the road, and if you are in Palmetto Bay/Pinecrest and want some good Italian, come here.
(5)
Sharyn K.
Great food at very reasonable prices. Generous portions. Their specials are awesome but save room for the homemade Tiramisu. Outstanding.
(5)
Susan D.
One of my favorite Italian restaurants. Food has great taste and portions are overly generous. Be patient, the cooking may take a bit of time but well worth it. The staff is very attentive to your needs and if waiter gets a bit too busy to follow through with something, just give a gentle reminder and you'll be taken care of. Little surprises may be added - for instance, we were a party of 8 and he missed one of the lady's' wine order and showed up with a filled larger wine glass with apologies. Great customer service!
(5)
Adalberto M.
If I'd base my restaurant selections on first impressions, I would have kept on driving. But some of the reviews told me "nah, can't be.." so curiosity settled in and we went in. Parking is not easy on a Friday evening. However you may park in the adjacent Quality Inn (yes, I said Quality Inn). Did I lose you? No? Good. Inside space is divided between booths around the edges and tables in the middle. Decent amount of tables so the wait shouldn't be long. Appearance wise? Grade: D. Looks like a previously small Sizzler's. The service is decent, however felt it was a bit rushed. The waiters to table ratio seemed a bit high. The complimentary breads tasted old, believe me I put as much butter as I could. You're better off paying the $4.95 for the Bruschetta, which by the way, was pretty darn good! Wine? Do not, I repeat, do not get the specials that are on the "exhibit counter". First time in my life I've rejected a wine bottle (Ecco Domani Chianti, $18). Opt for wine list. $30 Ruffino Chianti was really good. Protein courses come with a complimentary salad which was "OK", Main courses, Meh. Papardello was tasty and the Tiramisu was a bit bland. Overall, we spent $90 for a bottle of wine, an appetizer, two main courses and a dessert. Reasonably priced? Somewhat. The ambiance, service and food just didn't blow up our skirts. Go in if you want - otherwise, keep driving.
(2)
Veronica J.
I had a date night with myself and decided to try this place out. i got there early in the evening on a Sat...the place was pretty empty...I was seated and I ordered a glass of wine...the pour was quite impressive and the house cab was very good. Nice start! I went over the menu several times and I decided on the Chicken Arrabiata because I like heat. The salad came out with their house dressing on the side...I stirred it..I looked at it...I have to tell you it does not look appetizing at all! I took a leap and put some on my salad and all I have to say is OMG it's good! So good I even dunked the bread in it. The Chicken Arrabiata came out with a side of pasta...I asked for whole wheat. the chicken was perfect...nice, moist and with some kick to it. The pasta al dente....perfect. To finish off the meal I ordered the cannoli...I am not a cannoli expert...I have only had it a few times..it was good...it was just too sweet for my taste..... By the time that I left...at about 7:30 the place was starting to get packed! The service was amazing...I heard on a couple of occasions the waitress or waiter telling people no problem we can make that for you, we cook everything to order....What? No attitude? In Miami? Ahhhh....how refreshing! Everyone was extremely nice and really made you feel like they were happy you were there. Frank gave me the family history of the place and you can see he takes great pride. This will be a go to again and again place for me...
(4)
Hank G.
Who would think that a restaurant that is part of a Quality Inn would be a place to plan a nice dinner? Not me at first. When this place was recommended to me I was very skeptical. Wow was I surprised! Excellent food and we've been back many times. Definitely recommend this place!
(4)
Ashley H.
When I first walked in, I wasn't sure how I'd feel about this place. It smells really musty and the decor is pretty dingy. It doesn't look like a place that anyone is putting a lot of time and effort into. The service was a bit lacking in the beginning as well. We received water and bread, but it took a while for anyone to come and take our order...any order. Even drinks. However, what saves this place is the food. It's actually awesome. We started out with some calamari and these wonderful pasta dumplings (I forget the name...started with an f) that were filled with cooked pears and sitting in a delicious cream sauce with peas and prosciutto. It's an entree as well, but we got about twelve of them and shared it among 8 people. It was delicious! We also enjoyed the calamari, which were crispy and not greasy at all. I ordered the chicken francese, which came with a house salad. I am not sure what their house dressing is, but it's completely delicious! The chicken francese was perfect and tender. I'd definitely have that again. Everyone at our table seemed to enjoy the meal, and we all had a great experience. I would come here again for sure.
(4)
Howard F.
REAL Italian cooking. Never had a bad meal. Very good service. Anna, at the register is terrific. Whole snapper and veal chop outstanding. Decor not the best. Parking at times could be a problem. They really try to please. Not a fancy place but the food is the draw...ask the people waiting in line, on the week end. Reservationa a must. Even order take out when we need a good Italian fix.
(4)
Candela A.
Its okay, just okay. Nothing out of this world. I could have done without this place. I read the reviews and decided to check it out. Lets just say that theres not much italian in this place. Personally, i prefer real italian food and this didnt fit the bill. Next...
(2)
Sandra F.
I come here with my parents and it's a true neighborhood restaurant where all the patrons are regulars. They have this recurring special that is truly amazing - pear stuffed ravioli with prosciutto. I just love it and it's a huge portion that I can have for lunch the next day too. It comes with a salad and for $13 you just can't beat it.
(4)
Kevin S.
Really great restaurant. Come here anytime I'm in town. The portion are spectacular. Highly recommend the snapper and bread pudding.
One big MEH for this place. What you'd expect connected to a Quality Inn. Uninspired decor, a robotic busboy, and a rather apathetic waiter practiced in the art of laissez-faire. Snapper filet was a little overdone to the verge of mushiness and somewhat over seasoned. Accompanying pasta was like generic grocery store brand. Had to be drowned in pepper and olive oil (Which must be asked for....."We NEVER put them on the table" exclaimed the waiter!) The seafood salad, however, was a pleasant surprise, delicious and generous. The price is in line with the amount of food. The waiter took forever to get the check as he was "shooting the breeze" endlessly with another table. I came here mainly because I didn't feel like driving far, but, alas, I think I will not be dining here again. So uninspiring, I didn't even take any photos. MEH!
(2)
Celia M.
Been here a few times and have always enjoyed it. I like their lasagna and they also have a pretty good minestrone soup. Will definitely continue to dine here. The only negative thing is the parking, which can sometimes be tricky and with limited space.
(4)
Sharyn K.
Great food at very reasonable prices. Generous portions. Their specials are awesome but save room for the homemade Tiramisu. Outstanding.
(5)
Susan D.
One of my favorite Italian restaurants. Food has great taste and portions are overly generous. Be patient, the cooking may take a bit of time but well worth it. The staff is very attentive to your needs and if waiter gets a bit too busy to follow through with something, just give a gentle reminder and you'll be taken care of. Little surprises may be added - for instance, we were a party of 8 and he missed one of the lady's' wine order and showed up with a filled larger wine glass with apologies. Great customer service!
(5)
Suzanne D.
Choose your dishes wisely. The baked ziti has ricotta cheese and mozzarella, of which I am not a fan. A true baked ziti has mozzarella cheese only. Their chicken Parmesan is pretty good and consistent. Their linguine puttanesca is inconsistent. Don't bother with desserts, although their tiramisu is decent, it is a child's portion. As a neighborhood restaurant, it is worth the trip. And for pickup it is just fine.
(3)
Lester M.
Really good food!!! Nothing tastes overpowering. You look at the menu, you ask for what you like, the food comes and then when it hits your stomach you realize is really good food!!!!
(5)
Adalberto M.
If I'd base my restaurant selections on first impressions, I would have kept on driving. But some of the reviews told me "nah, can't be.." so curiosity settled in and we went in. Parking is not easy on a Friday evening. However you may park in the adjacent Quality Inn (yes, I said Quality Inn). Did I lose you? No? Good. Inside space is divided between booths around the edges and tables in the middle. Decent amount of tables so the wait shouldn't be long. Appearance wise? Grade: D. Looks like a previously small Sizzler's. The service is decent, however felt it was a bit rushed. The waiters to table ratio seemed a bit high. The complimentary breads tasted old, believe me I put as much butter as I could. You're better off paying the $4.95 for the Bruschetta, which by the way, was pretty darn good! Wine? Do not, I repeat, do not get the specials that are on the "exhibit counter". First time in my life I've rejected a wine bottle (Ecco Domani Chianti, $18). Opt for wine list. $30 Ruffino Chianti was really good. Protein courses come with a complimentary salad which was "OK", Main courses, Meh. Papardello was tasty and the Tiramisu was a bit bland. Overall, we spent $90 for a bottle of wine, an appetizer, two main courses and a dessert. Reasonably priced? Somewhat. The ambiance, service and food just didn't blow up our skirts. Go in if you want - otherwise, keep driving.
(2)
Veronica J.
I had a date night with myself and decided to try this place out. i got there early in the evening on a Sat...the place was pretty empty...I was seated and I ordered a glass of wine...the pour was quite impressive and the house cab was very good. Nice start! I went over the menu several times and I decided on the Chicken Arrabiata because I like heat. The salad came out with their house dressing on the side...I stirred it..I looked at it...I have to tell you it does not look appetizing at all! I took a leap and put some on my salad and all I have to say is OMG it's good! So good I even dunked the bread in it. The Chicken Arrabiata came out with a side of pasta...I asked for whole wheat. the chicken was perfect...nice, moist and with some kick to it. The pasta al dente....perfect. To finish off the meal I ordered the cannoli...I am not a cannoli expert...I have only had it a few times..it was good...it was just too sweet for my taste..... By the time that I left...at about 7:30 the place was starting to get packed! The service was amazing...I heard on a couple of occasions the waitress or waiter telling people no problem we can make that for you, we cook everything to order....What? No attitude? In Miami? Ahhhh....how refreshing! Everyone was extremely nice and really made you feel like they were happy you were there. Frank gave me the family history of the place and you can see he takes great pride. This will be a go to again and again place for me...
(4)
Hank G.
Who would think that a restaurant that is part of a Quality Inn would be a place to plan a nice dinner? Not me at first. When this place was recommended to me I was very skeptical. Wow was I surprised! Excellent food and we've been back many times. Definitely recommend this place!
(4)
Ashley H.
When I first walked in, I wasn't sure how I'd feel about this place. It smells really musty and the decor is pretty dingy. It doesn't look like a place that anyone is putting a lot of time and effort into. The service was a bit lacking in the beginning as well. We received water and bread, but it took a while for anyone to come and take our order...any order. Even drinks. However, what saves this place is the food. It's actually awesome. We started out with some calamari and these wonderful pasta dumplings (I forget the name...started with an f) that were filled with cooked pears and sitting in a delicious cream sauce with peas and prosciutto. It's an entree as well, but we got about twelve of them and shared it among 8 people. It was delicious! We also enjoyed the calamari, which were crispy and not greasy at all. I ordered the chicken francese, which came with a house salad. I am not sure what their house dressing is, but it's completely delicious! The chicken francese was perfect and tender. I'd definitely have that again. Everyone at our table seemed to enjoy the meal, and we all had a great experience. I would come here again for sure.
(4)
Howard F.
REAL Italian cooking. Never had a bad meal. Very good service. Anna, at the register is terrific. Whole snapper and veal chop outstanding. Decor not the best. Parking at times could be a problem. They really try to please. Not a fancy place but the food is the draw...ask the people waiting in line, on the week end. Reservationa a must. Even order take out when we need a good Italian fix.
(4)
Candela A.
Its okay, just okay. Nothing out of this world. I could have done without this place. I read the reviews and decided to check it out. Lets just say that theres not much italian in this place. Personally, i prefer real italian food and this didnt fit the bill. Next...
(2)
Sandra F.
I come here with my parents and it's a true neighborhood restaurant where all the patrons are regulars. They have this recurring special that is truly amazing - pear stuffed ravioli with prosciutto. I just love it and it's a huge portion that I can have for lunch the next day too. It comes with a salad and for $13 you just can't beat it.
(4)
Kevin S.
Really great restaurant. Come here anytime I'm in town. The portion are spectacular. Highly recommend the snapper and bread pudding.
(5)
M W.
Okay, so first the caveats: (1) Romanza is located in a space that is connected/adjacent to the (blah) Quality Inn and appears, from the outside, like it might be the QI's own restaurant; and (2) when you step inside, that thought doesn't change much, with 1980s era decor and, get this, a salad bard (leftover from a prior failed restaurant) repurposed into the wine display case. Oh, and parking is weird because you essentially are parking in the motel lot, outside people's rooms. But the food is great! My date and I both had the Veal Chop Milanese (an evening special) which was pounded thin, breaded and quick-fried. It was fantastic. Dinner came with salad (the actual salad was nothing special but the dressing was great!) and pasta. And get this, those 2 dinners plus 2 glasses of a nice Chianti cost, including tax, $61! So, if you are able to get over the odd location and blah dining room, you will really like this place. If you do, ask for your server to be Dale and to sit at Table 5.
(4)
Michael C.
Having grown up in the neighborhood, I have seen A LOT of restaurants come and go in that space. New York, New York and Snappers being some of the more recent. Romanza has been there for a few years now and I had heard good reviews - though from the Hotel owners. With a lot of older, local Italian joints have closed up, I am glad my parents finally tried it, liked it, and brought me along. We showed up on a Saturday night with reservations for a reason: the place was packed. I haven't seen a packed restaurant like this in Miami for a while. And I wasn't expecting much, but the menu was impressive: a wide selection of Southern Italian dishes from seafood, pasta, chicken, veal and more. My parents always order the Brushetta, which was nice a fresh and possibly unneeded as the entrees come with a salad (with a delicious creamy Italian dressing) and the table a mixed basket of fresh bread. My father ordered the Zuppa di Clams and the Seafood Salad. Both were huge and he took a lot home. The Zuppa came in a huge bowl stacked with clams in a deliciously garlicy sauce. The seafood salad was pretty much a pile of seafood over some greens. When he took them home he combined them into a huge seafood soup for leftovers. My mother got one of the chicken dishes. I wish I could remember which one as there are a lot. But I will tell you this: it was really good. Tender chicken, excellent flavor. As for me, I was recommended both the Linguini Malafemmina and Linguini Marechiara. But I love pink sauces, so I went with the Linguini Con Pesce. Delicious. A nice amount of large shrimp and large scallops over linguini. I quickly consumed the whole pink creamy bowl and sopped up all I could with some bread. Perhaps I should have saved some for leftovers, but it was too good not to wolf down. And all this was barely a dent in the menu. I didn't even talk about the daily specials. One of them was a whole fried snapper that the table close to us got and it looked fantastic - all two feet of it. Glad we have a restaurant like this down the road, and if you are in Palmetto Bay/Pinecrest and want some good Italian, come here.
Went to try to have a nice dinner with my mom. We ordered wine, an appetizer AND a dinner plate. We both ate from both plates, we always do that. When we got the bill we were charged for three dishes AND a $4.00 sharing fee which I thought was ridiculous given the fact we HAD ordered two plates. When I questioned the waiter he was very nice and said "oh that's a mistake" and went to try to remove both extra charges. The general manager was there and removed the extra dish, but yelled "it's on the menu!" and sent another waiter to our table with a menu to show us where in the menu it said "$4.00 sharing charge". My argument was that we had ordered two dishes and you had charged us for three so obviously this charge was done manually by the manager given the fact the waiter did not even know about it and truly, how we eat it's really not of their business, as long as we order two different items. They still charged us the $4 and lost a customer and my entire family that usually goes there.
(1)
Rolando S.
We patronize this restaurant on average once a week. I can't stress enough just how fantastic the food is at this place. Frank and Ana are excellent hosts, and provide a great family dining atmosphere. You will need to reserve on weekend early evenings from 7:00pm to 8:30pm. it is packed. The Rack of Lamb is the best you will ever have. Also the Linguini Melafemina is positively outstanding with lobster, shrimp, mussels, clams. They are very reasonably priced. Yes the parking is a bit weird since they are adjacent to a Quality Inn motel, but that's not a deterrent whatsoever. I normally don't make a big deal about salad, but the home recipe of their dressing is second to none. I started going there when they first opened, and the growth of their customer base has skyrocketed by word-of-mouth over the past year. They are truly a successful business, and will probably need to expand very soon to accommodate their high demand for exquisite Italian cuisine. Do yourself a favor, and go eat there. You won't be disappointed.
(5)
Sari V.
LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS PLACE! Never disappointed! The lady at the register, which I'm assuming is the owner, is a little cold and rude but the wait staff and the food makes up for that. I always order the special of Lobster, shrimp, clams, mussels....delish! Please make sure you have reservations because she will actually be annoyed with you.
(5)
Valerie D.
Trattoria Romanza located next to quality court motel. That seems to be a turn off for some people Yes, it's true it is in that location but who cares the food is amazing!!!!! It is absolutely the best Italian food in the neighborhood and really in Miami. If you order pasta, fish,veal, or chicken every dish is delicious!! Desserts are homemade by the owner and the ricotta cheesecake is divine melt in your mouth. They treat you like family. I go once a week without fail. It truly is a real gem!! The prices are very reasonable. I have never been disappointed in years I've been going there.
(5)
Frank M.
Linguini Putanesca is phenomenal. So was the stuffed artickoe appetizer.
(5)
J C.
Went here for dinner on a Friday night. The parking is iffy with the awkwrd driveways and parking but worse comes to worse you can park in the neighboring Kings Bay plaza. Seating was ok. All the tbles were taken but we got a seat within 5 mins so I definitely can't complain about the wait. Service was great. The nephew of the chef helped us out and shared the specials of the night. I ordered a spicy pink sauce pasta dish w chicken and my friend ordered their special snapper dish. Both were really good and and large enough for left overs. I give the 4 stars bc of the parking and design. The crowd was an older set but in pinecrest you cant expect the youngest of groups. The decor was tradditional so you can tell they cater to a more conservative crowd. Overall, the food was great and I would def go again and recommend to friends who aren't looking for loud bars n sports channels.
(4)
Rosa K.
Based on the reviews and looking for a restaurant close to home, my husband and I decided to try Romanza for dinner Saturday night. I was somewhat apprehensive when i realized they are attached to the Quality Inn Hotel. However, once we were inside it was a nice surprise, the place looks really nice, was packed, good atmosphere and friendly service. Even though we did not have reservations they quickly found us a spot. Their menu is extensive and very reasonably priced. We each had a daily special, my husband had the seafood fettuccini and I had salmon with a bruschetta sauce which was delicious. We both enjoyed our generous meal very much and left happy to have found this gem of a place.
(5)
Alexis K.
Was a skeptic at first because of where the restaurant is located ( adjoined with a Quality Inn), but boy was I wrong! The food was exceptional!! I had the Shrimp Fra Diavoli it was a bowl of spicy yumminess. My husband had the Linguini malafimmene , ( I may have spelled this wrong) this was linguini topped off with a lobster tail, mussels, clams in a white wine sauce. He said it wasn't good, it was fantastic! We are planning the next trip. We ordered a cannoli to go because we had to have dessert but were too full, so we ate it later at home. Aye mama!! Que Rico!!
(5)
Andy D.
I came here expecting a bad review, as I read the review of others. However, much to my chagrin the staff here was way above par, very family oriented, friendly and affable. We ordered the Pasta Faggioli and Seafood Salad, stuffed Snapper and Blue Crab. Yes it has an Italian name, but I don't remember it. The pasta Faggioli was a well made white bean soup. There are two dozen ways to make it, but there's was just fine. The Seafood salad by far was the best calamari I have had in a long time. Tender and fresh. There were two huge jumbo shrimp also very fresh. It wasn't dripping with bottled Italian oil and vinegar it was perfectly dressed. The snapper was amazing and easily two portions. Was it heavy garlic no, was there crusty bread, yes and with padded butter, yuck! There was also initially an offensive smell upon entering, but it was just in the entrance area. Good family restaurant !
(4)
Mayra S.
Great Seafood and pasta dishes! Little location in the lobby of hotel... but great services and food.. Veal was amazingly served... and Seafood and pasta in vodka creme sauce were just as mouth watering...
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Specialities
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
J C.
Went here for dinner on a Friday night. The parking is iffy with the awkwrd driveways and parking but worse comes to worse you can park in the neighboring Kings Bay plaza. Seating was ok. All the tbles were taken but we got a seat within 5 mins so I definitely can't complain about the wait. Service was great. The nephew of the chef helped us out and shared the specials of the night. I ordered a spicy pink sauce pasta dish w chicken and my friend ordered their special snapper dish. Both were really good and and large enough for left overs. I give the 4 stars bc of the parking and design. The crowd was an older set but in pinecrest you cant expect the youngest of groups. The decor was tradditional so you can tell they cater to a more conservative crowd. Overall, the food was great and I would def go again and recommend to friends who aren't looking for loud bars n sports channels.
(4)Rosa K.
Based on the reviews and looking for a restaurant close to home, my husband and I decided to try Romanza for dinner Saturday night. I was somewhat apprehensive when i realized they are attached to the Quality Inn Hotel. However, once we were inside it was a nice surprise, the place looks really nice, was packed, good atmosphere and friendly service. Even though we did not have reservations they quickly found us a spot. Their menu is extensive and very reasonably priced. We each had a daily special, my husband had the seafood fettuccini and I had salmon with a bruschetta sauce which was delicious. We both enjoyed our generous meal very much and left happy to have found this gem of a place.
(5)Valerie D.
Trattoria Romanza located next to quality court motel. That seems to be a turn off for some people Yes, it's true it is in that location but who cares the food is amazing!!!!! It is absolutely the best Italian food in the neighborhood and really in Miami. If you order pasta, fish,veal, or chicken every dish is delicious!! Desserts are homemade by the owner and the ricotta cheesecake is divine melt in your mouth. They treat you like family. I go once a week without fail. It truly is a real gem!! The prices are very reasonable. I have never been disappointed in years I've been going there.
(5)Frank M.
Linguini Putanesca is phenomenal. So was the stuffed artickoe appetizer.
(5)M W.
Okay, so first the caveats: (1) Romanza is located in a space that is connected/adjacent to the (blah) Quality Inn and appears, from the outside, like it might be the QI's own restaurant; and (2) when you step inside, that thought doesn't change much, with 1980s era decor and, get this, a salad bard (leftover from a prior failed restaurant) repurposed into the wine display case. Oh, and parking is weird because you essentially are parking in the motel lot, outside people's rooms. But the food is great! My date and I both had the Veal Chop Milanese (an evening special) which was pounded thin, breaded and quick-fried. It was fantastic. Dinner came with salad (the actual salad was nothing special but the dressing was great!) and pasta. And get this, those 2 dinners plus 2 glasses of a nice Chianti cost, including tax, $61! So, if you are able to get over the odd location and blah dining room, you will really like this place. If you do, ask for your server to be Dale and to sit at Table 5.
(4)Rolando S.
We patronize this restaurant on average once a week. I can't stress enough just how fantastic the food is at this place. Frank and Ana are excellent hosts, and provide a great family dining atmosphere. You will need to reserve on weekend early evenings from 7:00pm to 8:30pm. it is packed. The Rack of Lamb is the best you will ever have. Also the Linguini Melafemina is positively outstanding with lobster, shrimp, mussels, clams. They are very reasonably priced. Yes the parking is a bit weird since they are adjacent to a Quality Inn motel, but that's not a deterrent whatsoever. I normally don't make a big deal about salad, but the home recipe of their dressing is second to none. I started going there when they first opened, and the growth of their customer base has skyrocketed by word-of-mouth over the past year. They are truly a successful business, and will probably need to expand very soon to accommodate their high demand for exquisite Italian cuisine. Do yourself a favor, and go eat there. You won't be disappointed.
(5)Marcela W.
Went to try to have a nice dinner with my mom. We ordered wine, an appetizer AND a dinner plate. We both ate from both plates, we always do that. When we got the bill we were charged for three dishes AND a $4.00 sharing fee which I thought was ridiculous given the fact we HAD ordered two plates. When I questioned the waiter he was very nice and said "oh that's a mistake" and went to try to remove both extra charges. The general manager was there and removed the extra dish, but yelled "it's on the menu!" and sent another waiter to our table with a menu to show us where in the menu it said "$4.00 sharing charge". My argument was that we had ordered two dishes and you had charged us for three so obviously this charge was done manually by the manager given the fact the waiter did not even know about it and truly, how we eat it's really not of their business, as long as we order two different items. They still charged us the $4 and lost a customer and my entire family that usually goes there.
(1)Sari V.
LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS PLACE! Never disappointed! The lady at the register, which I'm assuming is the owner, is a little cold and rude but the wait staff and the food makes up for that. I always order the special of Lobster, shrimp, clams, mussels....delish! Please make sure you have reservations because she will actually be annoyed with you.
(5)Suzanne D.
Choose your dishes wisely. The baked ziti has ricotta cheese and mozzarella, of which I am not a fan. A true baked ziti has mozzarella cheese only. Their chicken Parmesan is pretty good and consistent. Their linguine puttanesca is inconsistent. Don't bother with desserts, although their tiramisu is decent, it is a child's portion. As a neighborhood restaurant, it is worth the trip. And for pickup it is just fine.
(3)Lester M.
Really good food!!! Nothing tastes overpowering. You look at the menu, you ask for what you like, the food comes and then when it hits your stomach you realize is really good food!!!!
(5)Alexis K.
Was a skeptic at first because of where the restaurant is located ( adjoined with a Quality Inn), but boy was I wrong! The food was exceptional!! I had the Shrimp Fra Diavoli it was a bowl of spicy yumminess. My husband had the Linguini malafimmene , ( I may have spelled this wrong) this was linguini topped off with a lobster tail, mussels, clams in a white wine sauce. He said it wasn't good, it was fantastic! We are planning the next trip. We ordered a cannoli to go because we had to have dessert but were too full, so we ate it later at home. Aye mama!! Que Rico!!
(5)Andy D.
I came here expecting a bad review, as I read the review of others. However, much to my chagrin the staff here was way above par, very family oriented, friendly and affable. We ordered the Pasta Faggioli and Seafood Salad, stuffed Snapper and Blue Crab. Yes it has an Italian name, but I don't remember it. The pasta Faggioli was a well made white bean soup. There are two dozen ways to make it, but there's was just fine. The Seafood salad by far was the best calamari I have had in a long time. Tender and fresh. There were two huge jumbo shrimp also very fresh. It wasn't dripping with bottled Italian oil and vinegar it was perfectly dressed. The snapper was amazing and easily two portions. Was it heavy garlic no, was there crusty bread, yes and with padded butter, yuck! There was also initially an offensive smell upon entering, but it was just in the entrance area. Good family restaurant !
(4)Mayra S.
Great Seafood and pasta dishes! Little location in the lobby of hotel... but great services and food.. Veal was amazingly served... and Seafood and pasta in vodka creme sauce were just as mouth watering...
(4)Mark D.
One big MEH for this place. What you'd expect connected to a Quality Inn. Uninspired decor, a robotic busboy, and a rather apathetic waiter practiced in the art of laissez-faire. Snapper filet was a little overdone to the verge of mushiness and somewhat over seasoned. Accompanying pasta was like generic grocery store brand. Had to be drowned in pepper and olive oil (Which must be asked for....."We NEVER put them on the table" exclaimed the waiter!) The seafood salad, however, was a pleasant surprise, delicious and generous. The price is in line with the amount of food. The waiter took forever to get the check as he was "shooting the breeze" endlessly with another table. I came here mainly because I didn't feel like driving far, but, alas, I think I will not be dining here again. So uninspiring, I didn't even take any photos. MEH!
(2)Celia M.
Been here a few times and have always enjoyed it. I like their lasagna and they also have a pretty good minestrone soup. Will definitely continue to dine here. The only negative thing is the parking, which can sometimes be tricky and with limited space.
(4)Michael C.
Having grown up in the neighborhood, I have seen A LOT of restaurants come and go in that space. New York, New York and Snappers being some of the more recent. Romanza has been there for a few years now and I had heard good reviews - though from the Hotel owners. With a lot of older, local Italian joints have closed up, I am glad my parents finally tried it, liked it, and brought me along. We showed up on a Saturday night with reservations for a reason: the place was packed. I haven't seen a packed restaurant like this in Miami for a while. And I wasn't expecting much, but the menu was impressive: a wide selection of Southern Italian dishes from seafood, pasta, chicken, veal and more. My parents always order the Brushetta, which was nice a fresh and possibly unneeded as the entrees come with a salad (with a delicious creamy Italian dressing) and the table a mixed basket of fresh bread. My father ordered the Zuppa di Clams and the Seafood Salad. Both were huge and he took a lot home. The Zuppa came in a huge bowl stacked with clams in a deliciously garlicy sauce. The seafood salad was pretty much a pile of seafood over some greens. When he took them home he combined them into a huge seafood soup for leftovers. My mother got one of the chicken dishes. I wish I could remember which one as there are a lot. But I will tell you this: it was really good. Tender chicken, excellent flavor. As for me, I was recommended both the Linguini Malafemmina and Linguini Marechiara. But I love pink sauces, so I went with the Linguini Con Pesce. Delicious. A nice amount of large shrimp and large scallops over linguini. I quickly consumed the whole pink creamy bowl and sopped up all I could with some bread. Perhaps I should have saved some for leftovers, but it was too good not to wolf down. And all this was barely a dent in the menu. I didn't even talk about the daily specials. One of them was a whole fried snapper that the table close to us got and it looked fantastic - all two feet of it. Glad we have a restaurant like this down the road, and if you are in Palmetto Bay/Pinecrest and want some good Italian, come here.
(5)Sharyn K.
Great food at very reasonable prices. Generous portions. Their specials are awesome but save room for the homemade Tiramisu. Outstanding.
(5)Susan D.
One of my favorite Italian restaurants. Food has great taste and portions are overly generous. Be patient, the cooking may take a bit of time but well worth it. The staff is very attentive to your needs and if waiter gets a bit too busy to follow through with something, just give a gentle reminder and you'll be taken care of. Little surprises may be added - for instance, we were a party of 8 and he missed one of the lady's' wine order and showed up with a filled larger wine glass with apologies. Great customer service!
(5)Adalberto M.
If I'd base my restaurant selections on first impressions, I would have kept on driving. But some of the reviews told me "nah, can't be.." so curiosity settled in and we went in. Parking is not easy on a Friday evening. However you may park in the adjacent Quality Inn (yes, I said Quality Inn). Did I lose you? No? Good. Inside space is divided between booths around the edges and tables in the middle. Decent amount of tables so the wait shouldn't be long. Appearance wise? Grade: D. Looks like a previously small Sizzler's. The service is decent, however felt it was a bit rushed. The waiters to table ratio seemed a bit high. The complimentary breads tasted old, believe me I put as much butter as I could. You're better off paying the $4.95 for the Bruschetta, which by the way, was pretty darn good! Wine? Do not, I repeat, do not get the specials that are on the "exhibit counter". First time in my life I've rejected a wine bottle (Ecco Domani Chianti, $18). Opt for wine list. $30 Ruffino Chianti was really good. Protein courses come with a complimentary salad which was "OK", Main courses, Meh. Papardello was tasty and the Tiramisu was a bit bland. Overall, we spent $90 for a bottle of wine, an appetizer, two main courses and a dessert. Reasonably priced? Somewhat. The ambiance, service and food just didn't blow up our skirts. Go in if you want - otherwise, keep driving.
(2)Veronica J.
I had a date night with myself and decided to try this place out. i got there early in the evening on a Sat...the place was pretty empty...I was seated and I ordered a glass of wine...the pour was quite impressive and the house cab was very good. Nice start! I went over the menu several times and I decided on the Chicken Arrabiata because I like heat. The salad came out with their house dressing on the side...I stirred it..I looked at it...I have to tell you it does not look appetizing at all! I took a leap and put some on my salad and all I have to say is OMG it's good! So good I even dunked the bread in it. The Chicken Arrabiata came out with a side of pasta...I asked for whole wheat. the chicken was perfect...nice, moist and with some kick to it. The pasta al dente....perfect. To finish off the meal I ordered the cannoli...I am not a cannoli expert...I have only had it a few times..it was good...it was just too sweet for my taste..... By the time that I left...at about 7:30 the place was starting to get packed! The service was amazing...I heard on a couple of occasions the waitress or waiter telling people no problem we can make that for you, we cook everything to order....What? No attitude? In Miami? Ahhhh....how refreshing! Everyone was extremely nice and really made you feel like they were happy you were there. Frank gave me the family history of the place and you can see he takes great pride. This will be a go to again and again place for me...
(4)Hank G.
Who would think that a restaurant that is part of a Quality Inn would be a place to plan a nice dinner? Not me at first. When this place was recommended to me I was very skeptical. Wow was I surprised! Excellent food and we've been back many times. Definitely recommend this place!
(4)Ashley H.
When I first walked in, I wasn't sure how I'd feel about this place. It smells really musty and the decor is pretty dingy. It doesn't look like a place that anyone is putting a lot of time and effort into. The service was a bit lacking in the beginning as well. We received water and bread, but it took a while for anyone to come and take our order...any order. Even drinks. However, what saves this place is the food. It's actually awesome. We started out with some calamari and these wonderful pasta dumplings (I forget the name...started with an f) that were filled with cooked pears and sitting in a delicious cream sauce with peas and prosciutto. It's an entree as well, but we got about twelve of them and shared it among 8 people. It was delicious! We also enjoyed the calamari, which were crispy and not greasy at all. I ordered the chicken francese, which came with a house salad. I am not sure what their house dressing is, but it's completely delicious! The chicken francese was perfect and tender. I'd definitely have that again. Everyone at our table seemed to enjoy the meal, and we all had a great experience. I would come here again for sure.
(4)Howard F.
REAL Italian cooking. Never had a bad meal. Very good service. Anna, at the register is terrific. Whole snapper and veal chop outstanding. Decor not the best. Parking at times could be a problem. They really try to please. Not a fancy place but the food is the draw...ask the people waiting in line, on the week end. Reservationa a must. Even order take out when we need a good Italian fix.
(4)Candela A.
Its okay, just okay. Nothing out of this world. I could have done without this place. I read the reviews and decided to check it out. Lets just say that theres not much italian in this place. Personally, i prefer real italian food and this didnt fit the bill. Next...
(2)Sandra F.
I come here with my parents and it's a true neighborhood restaurant where all the patrons are regulars. They have this recurring special that is truly amazing - pear stuffed ravioli with prosciutto. I just love it and it's a huge portion that I can have for lunch the next day too. It comes with a salad and for $13 you just can't beat it.
(4)Kevin S.
Really great restaurant. Come here anytime I'm in town. The portion are spectacular. Highly recommend the snapper and bread pudding.
(5)Marco B.
I have been going here off and on for about a year and I can truly say its a higher end decent restaurant as far as food goes. Which is what the 4 stars are for. If you include ambiance, service and décor the rating would be a little lower but I'm all about the food. Food prices for what is on the plate is good and has been overall consistent through the years. Go hear for a simple dinner out, but look elsewhere if you are looking for a fine dining experience.
(4)Mark D.
One big MEH for this place. What you'd expect connected to a Quality Inn. Uninspired decor, a robotic busboy, and a rather apathetic waiter practiced in the art of laissez-faire. Snapper filet was a little overdone to the verge of mushiness and somewhat over seasoned. Accompanying pasta was like generic grocery store brand. Had to be drowned in pepper and olive oil (Which must be asked for....."We NEVER put them on the table" exclaimed the waiter!) The seafood salad, however, was a pleasant surprise, delicious and generous. The price is in line with the amount of food. The waiter took forever to get the check as he was "shooting the breeze" endlessly with another table. I came here mainly because I didn't feel like driving far, but, alas, I think I will not be dining here again. So uninspiring, I didn't even take any photos. MEH!
(2)Celia M.
Been here a few times and have always enjoyed it. I like their lasagna and they also have a pretty good minestrone soup. Will definitely continue to dine here. The only negative thing is the parking, which can sometimes be tricky and with limited space.
(4)Sharyn K.
Great food at very reasonable prices. Generous portions. Their specials are awesome but save room for the homemade Tiramisu. Outstanding.
(5)Susan D.
One of my favorite Italian restaurants. Food has great taste and portions are overly generous. Be patient, the cooking may take a bit of time but well worth it. The staff is very attentive to your needs and if waiter gets a bit too busy to follow through with something, just give a gentle reminder and you'll be taken care of. Little surprises may be added - for instance, we were a party of 8 and he missed one of the lady's' wine order and showed up with a filled larger wine glass with apologies. Great customer service!
(5)Suzanne D.
Choose your dishes wisely. The baked ziti has ricotta cheese and mozzarella, of which I am not a fan. A true baked ziti has mozzarella cheese only. Their chicken Parmesan is pretty good and consistent. Their linguine puttanesca is inconsistent. Don't bother with desserts, although their tiramisu is decent, it is a child's portion. As a neighborhood restaurant, it is worth the trip. And for pickup it is just fine.
(3)Lester M.
Really good food!!! Nothing tastes overpowering. You look at the menu, you ask for what you like, the food comes and then when it hits your stomach you realize is really good food!!!!
(5)Adalberto M.
If I'd base my restaurant selections on first impressions, I would have kept on driving. But some of the reviews told me "nah, can't be.." so curiosity settled in and we went in. Parking is not easy on a Friday evening. However you may park in the adjacent Quality Inn (yes, I said Quality Inn). Did I lose you? No? Good. Inside space is divided between booths around the edges and tables in the middle. Decent amount of tables so the wait shouldn't be long. Appearance wise? Grade: D. Looks like a previously small Sizzler's. The service is decent, however felt it was a bit rushed. The waiters to table ratio seemed a bit high. The complimentary breads tasted old, believe me I put as much butter as I could. You're better off paying the $4.95 for the Bruschetta, which by the way, was pretty darn good! Wine? Do not, I repeat, do not get the specials that are on the "exhibit counter". First time in my life I've rejected a wine bottle (Ecco Domani Chianti, $18). Opt for wine list. $30 Ruffino Chianti was really good. Protein courses come with a complimentary salad which was "OK", Main courses, Meh. Papardello was tasty and the Tiramisu was a bit bland. Overall, we spent $90 for a bottle of wine, an appetizer, two main courses and a dessert. Reasonably priced? Somewhat. The ambiance, service and food just didn't blow up our skirts. Go in if you want - otherwise, keep driving.
(2)Veronica J.
I had a date night with myself and decided to try this place out. i got there early in the evening on a Sat...the place was pretty empty...I was seated and I ordered a glass of wine...the pour was quite impressive and the house cab was very good. Nice start! I went over the menu several times and I decided on the Chicken Arrabiata because I like heat. The salad came out with their house dressing on the side...I stirred it..I looked at it...I have to tell you it does not look appetizing at all! I took a leap and put some on my salad and all I have to say is OMG it's good! So good I even dunked the bread in it. The Chicken Arrabiata came out with a side of pasta...I asked for whole wheat. the chicken was perfect...nice, moist and with some kick to it. The pasta al dente....perfect. To finish off the meal I ordered the cannoli...I am not a cannoli expert...I have only had it a few times..it was good...it was just too sweet for my taste..... By the time that I left...at about 7:30 the place was starting to get packed! The service was amazing...I heard on a couple of occasions the waitress or waiter telling people no problem we can make that for you, we cook everything to order....What? No attitude? In Miami? Ahhhh....how refreshing! Everyone was extremely nice and really made you feel like they were happy you were there. Frank gave me the family history of the place and you can see he takes great pride. This will be a go to again and again place for me...
(4)Hank G.
Who would think that a restaurant that is part of a Quality Inn would be a place to plan a nice dinner? Not me at first. When this place was recommended to me I was very skeptical. Wow was I surprised! Excellent food and we've been back many times. Definitely recommend this place!
(4)Ashley H.
When I first walked in, I wasn't sure how I'd feel about this place. It smells really musty and the decor is pretty dingy. It doesn't look like a place that anyone is putting a lot of time and effort into. The service was a bit lacking in the beginning as well. We received water and bread, but it took a while for anyone to come and take our order...any order. Even drinks. However, what saves this place is the food. It's actually awesome. We started out with some calamari and these wonderful pasta dumplings (I forget the name...started with an f) that were filled with cooked pears and sitting in a delicious cream sauce with peas and prosciutto. It's an entree as well, but we got about twelve of them and shared it among 8 people. It was delicious! We also enjoyed the calamari, which were crispy and not greasy at all. I ordered the chicken francese, which came with a house salad. I am not sure what their house dressing is, but it's completely delicious! The chicken francese was perfect and tender. I'd definitely have that again. Everyone at our table seemed to enjoy the meal, and we all had a great experience. I would come here again for sure.
(4)Howard F.
REAL Italian cooking. Never had a bad meal. Very good service. Anna, at the register is terrific. Whole snapper and veal chop outstanding. Decor not the best. Parking at times could be a problem. They really try to please. Not a fancy place but the food is the draw...ask the people waiting in line, on the week end. Reservationa a must. Even order take out when we need a good Italian fix.
(4)Candela A.
Its okay, just okay. Nothing out of this world. I could have done without this place. I read the reviews and decided to check it out. Lets just say that theres not much italian in this place. Personally, i prefer real italian food and this didnt fit the bill. Next...
(2)Sandra F.
I come here with my parents and it's a true neighborhood restaurant where all the patrons are regulars. They have this recurring special that is truly amazing - pear stuffed ravioli with prosciutto. I just love it and it's a huge portion that I can have for lunch the next day too. It comes with a salad and for $13 you just can't beat it.
(4)Kevin S.
Really great restaurant. Come here anytime I'm in town. The portion are spectacular. Highly recommend the snapper and bread pudding.
(5)M W.
Okay, so first the caveats: (1) Romanza is located in a space that is connected/adjacent to the (blah) Quality Inn and appears, from the outside, like it might be the QI's own restaurant; and (2) when you step inside, that thought doesn't change much, with 1980s era decor and, get this, a salad bard (leftover from a prior failed restaurant) repurposed into the wine display case. Oh, and parking is weird because you essentially are parking in the motel lot, outside people's rooms. But the food is great! My date and I both had the Veal Chop Milanese (an evening special) which was pounded thin, breaded and quick-fried. It was fantastic. Dinner came with salad (the actual salad was nothing special but the dressing was great!) and pasta. And get this, those 2 dinners plus 2 glasses of a nice Chianti cost, including tax, $61! So, if you are able to get over the odd location and blah dining room, you will really like this place. If you do, ask for your server to be Dale and to sit at Table 5.
(4)Michael C.
Having grown up in the neighborhood, I have seen A LOT of restaurants come and go in that space. New York, New York and Snappers being some of the more recent. Romanza has been there for a few years now and I had heard good reviews - though from the Hotel owners. With a lot of older, local Italian joints have closed up, I am glad my parents finally tried it, liked it, and brought me along. We showed up on a Saturday night with reservations for a reason: the place was packed. I haven't seen a packed restaurant like this in Miami for a while. And I wasn't expecting much, but the menu was impressive: a wide selection of Southern Italian dishes from seafood, pasta, chicken, veal and more. My parents always order the Brushetta, which was nice a fresh and possibly unneeded as the entrees come with a salad (with a delicious creamy Italian dressing) and the table a mixed basket of fresh bread. My father ordered the Zuppa di Clams and the Seafood Salad. Both were huge and he took a lot home. The Zuppa came in a huge bowl stacked with clams in a deliciously garlicy sauce. The seafood salad was pretty much a pile of seafood over some greens. When he took them home he combined them into a huge seafood soup for leftovers. My mother got one of the chicken dishes. I wish I could remember which one as there are a lot. But I will tell you this: it was really good. Tender chicken, excellent flavor. As for me, I was recommended both the Linguini Malafemmina and Linguini Marechiara. But I love pink sauces, so I went with the Linguini Con Pesce. Delicious. A nice amount of large shrimp and large scallops over linguini. I quickly consumed the whole pink creamy bowl and sopped up all I could with some bread. Perhaps I should have saved some for leftovers, but it was too good not to wolf down. And all this was barely a dent in the menu. I didn't even talk about the daily specials. One of them was a whole fried snapper that the table close to us got and it looked fantastic - all two feet of it. Glad we have a restaurant like this down the road, and if you are in Palmetto Bay/Pinecrest and want some good Italian, come here.
(5)Marco B.
I have been going here off and on for about a year and I can truly say its a higher end decent restaurant as far as food goes. Which is what the 4 stars are for. If you include ambiance, service and décor the rating would be a little lower but I'm all about the food. Food prices for what is on the plate is good and has been overall consistent through the years. Go hear for a simple dinner out, but look elsewhere if you are looking for a fine dining experience.
(4)Marcela W.
Went to try to have a nice dinner with my mom. We ordered wine, an appetizer AND a dinner plate. We both ate from both plates, we always do that. When we got the bill we were charged for three dishes AND a $4.00 sharing fee which I thought was ridiculous given the fact we HAD ordered two plates. When I questioned the waiter he was very nice and said "oh that's a mistake" and went to try to remove both extra charges. The general manager was there and removed the extra dish, but yelled "it's on the menu!" and sent another waiter to our table with a menu to show us where in the menu it said "$4.00 sharing charge". My argument was that we had ordered two dishes and you had charged us for three so obviously this charge was done manually by the manager given the fact the waiter did not even know about it and truly, how we eat it's really not of their business, as long as we order two different items. They still charged us the $4 and lost a customer and my entire family that usually goes there.
(1)Rolando S.
We patronize this restaurant on average once a week. I can't stress enough just how fantastic the food is at this place. Frank and Ana are excellent hosts, and provide a great family dining atmosphere. You will need to reserve on weekend early evenings from 7:00pm to 8:30pm. it is packed. The Rack of Lamb is the best you will ever have. Also the Linguini Melafemina is positively outstanding with lobster, shrimp, mussels, clams. They are very reasonably priced. Yes the parking is a bit weird since they are adjacent to a Quality Inn motel, but that's not a deterrent whatsoever. I normally don't make a big deal about salad, but the home recipe of their dressing is second to none. I started going there when they first opened, and the growth of their customer base has skyrocketed by word-of-mouth over the past year. They are truly a successful business, and will probably need to expand very soon to accommodate their high demand for exquisite Italian cuisine. Do yourself a favor, and go eat there. You won't be disappointed.
(5)Sari V.
LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS PLACE! Never disappointed! The lady at the register, which I'm assuming is the owner, is a little cold and rude but the wait staff and the food makes up for that. I always order the special of Lobster, shrimp, clams, mussels....delish! Please make sure you have reservations because she will actually be annoyed with you.
(5)Valerie D.
Trattoria Romanza located next to quality court motel. That seems to be a turn off for some people Yes, it's true it is in that location but who cares the food is amazing!!!!! It is absolutely the best Italian food in the neighborhood and really in Miami. If you order pasta, fish,veal, or chicken every dish is delicious!! Desserts are homemade by the owner and the ricotta cheesecake is divine melt in your mouth. They treat you like family. I go once a week without fail. It truly is a real gem!! The prices are very reasonable. I have never been disappointed in years I've been going there.
(5)Frank M.
Linguini Putanesca is phenomenal. So was the stuffed artickoe appetizer.
(5)J C.
Went here for dinner on a Friday night. The parking is iffy with the awkwrd driveways and parking but worse comes to worse you can park in the neighboring Kings Bay plaza. Seating was ok. All the tbles were taken but we got a seat within 5 mins so I definitely can't complain about the wait. Service was great. The nephew of the chef helped us out and shared the specials of the night. I ordered a spicy pink sauce pasta dish w chicken and my friend ordered their special snapper dish. Both were really good and and large enough for left overs. I give the 4 stars bc of the parking and design. The crowd was an older set but in pinecrest you cant expect the youngest of groups. The decor was tradditional so you can tell they cater to a more conservative crowd. Overall, the food was great and I would def go again and recommend to friends who aren't looking for loud bars n sports channels.
(4)Rosa K.
Based on the reviews and looking for a restaurant close to home, my husband and I decided to try Romanza for dinner Saturday night. I was somewhat apprehensive when i realized they are attached to the Quality Inn Hotel. However, once we were inside it was a nice surprise, the place looks really nice, was packed, good atmosphere and friendly service. Even though we did not have reservations they quickly found us a spot. Their menu is extensive and very reasonably priced. We each had a daily special, my husband had the seafood fettuccini and I had salmon with a bruschetta sauce which was delicious. We both enjoyed our generous meal very much and left happy to have found this gem of a place.
(5)Alexis K.
Was a skeptic at first because of where the restaurant is located ( adjoined with a Quality Inn), but boy was I wrong! The food was exceptional!! I had the Shrimp Fra Diavoli it was a bowl of spicy yumminess. My husband had the Linguini malafimmene , ( I may have spelled this wrong) this was linguini topped off with a lobster tail, mussels, clams in a white wine sauce. He said it wasn't good, it was fantastic! We are planning the next trip. We ordered a cannoli to go because we had to have dessert but were too full, so we ate it later at home. Aye mama!! Que Rico!!
(5)Andy D.
I came here expecting a bad review, as I read the review of others. However, much to my chagrin the staff here was way above par, very family oriented, friendly and affable. We ordered the Pasta Faggioli and Seafood Salad, stuffed Snapper and Blue Crab. Yes it has an Italian name, but I don't remember it. The pasta Faggioli was a well made white bean soup. There are two dozen ways to make it, but there's was just fine. The Seafood salad by far was the best calamari I have had in a long time. Tender and fresh. There were two huge jumbo shrimp also very fresh. It wasn't dripping with bottled Italian oil and vinegar it was perfectly dressed. The snapper was amazing and easily two portions. Was it heavy garlic no, was there crusty bread, yes and with padded butter, yuck! There was also initially an offensive smell upon entering, but it was just in the entrance area. Good family restaurant !
(4)Mayra S.
Great Seafood and pasta dishes! Little location in the lobby of hotel... but great services and food.. Veal was amazingly served... and Seafood and pasta in vodka creme sauce were just as mouth watering...
(4)