Roma  Garden  Ristorante

Diner Reviews

great food! 10/26/09 yelp.com

i just ate the best chicken caesar salad of my life. seriously. it was amazing. moist, white meat chicken, crisp, cold, fresh romaine. perfect dressing. crunchy croutons. fresh black pepper.

other reviewers have already given you the details on the bread and herb butter, and i concur 100% - it was served hot and fresh and tasted phenomenal. i was so sad i had to limit myself to one slice. my coworker loved her chicken parm. service was perfect, and not at all stuffy. lunch was a great value. i was amazed by the the restaurant's ambiance: dark and cozy with classic jazz. playing in the background. you forget you're in a strip mall the moment you walk in the door. roma garden ristaurante would be a great place for a date. the whole menu looks amazing. i can't wait to try every carb-laden delight they serve as soon as i'm off this horrible diet.

hidden gem!  9/1/09  yelp.com

This truly, truly is a hidden gem in northern Phoenix.  If you live in Phoenix or have stayed in Phoenix for longer than a day, you will realize that the city is practically overtaken by chain restaurants.   I went here on a recommendation from a Phoenix local and I have been to this location every time I start to crave Italian.

The food tastes, looks and feels homemade. Location and space wise, this place may not have the pizazz of a Tomaso's or Maggiano's, but the quality of the food to the cost of the meal by far outweighs what any Italian marble or rich mahogany wood trim could add to a great Italian meal.

Interesting to note, there isn't a single Pizza offering anywhere on the menu. Its really focused on regional, Italian food. If I were to make a menu recommendation, really consider ordering a special over the main staples of the menu.

I won't really go into any specific dishes, but I will say that the sauces do not taste like they come from a jar and are well executed.

the food was heavenly  8/17/09 yelp.com

Not since the likes of "Pronto's" and "Il Pescatore" has Phoenix tasted Italian food like this.  Yes, it's in a strip mall, but don't let that fool you.  This place is 100% top quality Italian!  Besides, what place in Phoenix isn't in a strip mall these days?  

My wife found a review of this little gem online and said we had to check it out.  I'm so glad she did! We arrived and were promptly seated.  The wait staff was attentive, but not overly so.  We had our choice of seats which was a nice touch.  The wine list is more than adequate with many nice selections available by the glass.  The bread was nice and warm with really nice pesto/garlic butter.  Our salads arrived promptly, I had the Caesar and it was very good.  Our entree's followed shortly thereafter and this is pretty much where my mind gets foggy...

I had veal...it was heavenly, lightly breaded and oh-so tender.  It was bathed in a lemon sauce; much like you'd find in a piccata dish, but instead of capers, it had artichokes and mushrooms.  Did I mention heaven?  If artichokes or mushrooms aren't to your liking, the veal piccata that my wife had was amazing!  I'm actually a little jealous that she "Out-Ordered" me this time.  Her Gnocchi Pasta was a side dish of perfection.  The texture was a perfect firmness and not overcooked.  The pink sauce was again, Heavenly.

a great choice!  10/16/09 yelp.com

Had the chance to FINALLY try this place the other night.  Italian food isn't usually our first choice, but our interest ( and hunger) got the better of us that night. The place is very cozy...not over done in Italian motif and very unpretentious.  We were seated quickly and after being served water we treated to a review of some delicious sounding specials.  We chatted  a bit about it and decided on the Veal Osso Bucco and Scallops, both in a wine sauce,  with pasta and vegetables.  Before our meals came, we were treated to some awesome piping hot bread!  We would have had more, but wanted to save room for dinner.....we would go there just for the bread!  Our waiter was very attentive and it didn't take long for our food to arrive.   Fabulous choices!  Both the veal and the fish were super tender and left us wanting more...even though we were stuffed.  The scallops were pretty big and they threw in a few jumbo shrimp on top for good measure.....also perfectly cooked.  The pasta was also prepared just right and the vegetables were the best we have ever been served.  Our order was not cheap, however we are interested in coming back to try some of the regular items on the menu.  The meal was topped of with a complimentary shot of chilled ammaretto....delish!

Great place for a romantic, yet reasonable, italian dinner! at Citysearch  3/21/08

Roma Garden has moved down to 40th St. & Thunderbird, but is still excellent! Every dish I have ordered there has tasted excellent, well beyond my expectations! Atmosphere is small and quaint - excellent service! It is obvious that the owner's are extremely involved and have a great staff!

"my favorite Italian place" by voluptuous vegetarian urbanspoon.com

May 18, 2008 - Likes it - The food here is mouthwatering. My favorite dish is eggplant parmesean. The eggplant melts in your mouth. Their marinara is excellent. I usually order penne with pesto on the side. Their pesto sauce is amazing. The owner and the servers are wonderful, attentive , and accomodating. Their lunch specials are a bargain. It includes salad and a big hunk of bread with garlic butter for between 6-9$. This restaurant is great for a date night. The atmosphere is romantic and intimate yet the prices aren't too expensive.

A diner from Cave Creek and Union Hills May 11, 2008 activediner.com

Roma Gardens is my favorite place to eat! My husband and I got engaged there 16 yrs ago so every year we celebrate our anniversary there. We also go there for special occations and also like to take our friends, that have never been there, for dinner. The food and service are always great and everyone is so friendly. It is a special place that everyone should try!!!!

A diner from Phoenix May 11, 2008 activedine.com

Roma Garden is absolutely one of the best Italian restaurants I've even been to in Arizona. The food is amazing and the staff is great. Since they moved to their new location on Thunderbird off of 40th Street, I have to say that their decore is really beautiful. I would recommend it to anyone for a birthday party or any special occasion. But it is so good, people should come in to have a great meal any time.

New Location - More Awesome Than Ever!        at Citysearch  4/23/07

We really missed this place, but it's finally back & better than ever! The phone number is the same, but the restaurant has moved to the southwest corner of 40th & Thunderbird. We grew up on the east coast, so we're accustomed to really good Italian food, and the food here is nothing less than outstanding. The owner, Vjieko, and his staff are very accomodating and make you feel like you're "family". The new location is a bit bigger than the previous place, and includes a very nice cocktail lounge and bar area. Don't miss it, it's a real gem!!!  Great food, service, and ambiance.