Rooftop Bars with Roman Forum View

"This review is long overdue, but this was by far the best dining experience I have ever had. My boyfriend and I were in Rome in early August for our 5 year anniversary and we wanted to have a special meal so we picked the Ristorante Roof Garden. We had such an amazing meal and service that evening that we decided to go back again the following night because the food was excellent, the staff was personable and kind, and you simply could not ask for a better view.
We left both nights in awe of the meals and experiences, and I really cannot stress enough just how wonderful the staff is with the guests. We spent at least two hours there for both meals because we loved the ambience and had a wonderful time and the food was perfect.
Federico was very attentive and charming and he made our experience all the more special. Truly a wonderful man exuding positive energy and care for his guests. All of the staff members were very professional and gracious hosts. These meals were experiences we will never forget and when we return to Rome, we will definitely be coming back again as it is our favorite restaurant that we've ever been to!"

Casey Oliverson

"TL;DR: had the prices been lower, we wouldn't have thought twice about giving this restaurant a decent review.

We had a bad experience; it happens-- could've been a fluke, but we communicated our issue to the staff and it went unresolved, so we emailed the restaurant/hotel afterwards, seeking some sorts of concession. After some time of not receiving a response, we wrote a completely fair and factual review on the platform used to make the reservation (which was specifically requested by the platform- we didn't go out seeking to badmouth them) and submitted an inquiry with the AGCM ,(Italian Commerce review board,) hours after which, we received a very rude and disrespectful email from the restaurant accusing us of lying about the situation and suggesting that had we not written a negative review, they might have considered offering a partial refund (in the form of a credit to come back to the restaurant). Simply not what you'd expect from a quality hospitality establishment.

Since we're apparently doubling down here, and Google wants our review, here are the details:

The wait staff were exceptionally courteous and welcoming, and seated us quickly, right by the window. Expectations were set for a wonderful meal. However...

The view was supposedly of the Roman Forum, but it was pitch black out (7:30PM in October) and too brightlyl-lit in the restaurant so you couldn't see anything outside.

Service was extremely slow, despite low crowds and sufficient staffing.

The appetizer we wanted was unavailable so the waiter suggested the special without disclosing the price; it was a buffalo mozzarella dish and apparently €50, twice the price of the option we wanted and an exhorbitant charge for cheese, tomato and a few slices of prosciutto.

After an hour and a half, we asked for the entrees to go because we just wanted to get back to the room and go to bed. They arrived another 30 minutes later, and we asked for the check which took another 15-20 minutes.

The food quality was-- fine. Somewhat bland, and for us, nothing special. Portion sizes were larger than expected, so if you're hungry it will satisfy, but if you're looking for a quality rooftop dinner, with legitimately special views, and an experience that really justifies the prices charged, we'd highly recommend Cielo Rooftop at the Hotel de la Ville in the Piazza di Spagna area. Rooftop Garden just felt like we were tricked into a tourist trap meal, whereas Cielo was a truly special experience."

Andrew Mason

"Absolutely fantastic dinner! Special thanks to manager Rino for creating an amazing evening atmosphere. His professionalism and attention to detail made our evening truly special. Highly recommend! 🍽️✨"

Рафаэль Миннебаев