BR
Bistro Romano
Authentic Italian dining with live piano music in a romantic, historic setting.
3.8(5 reviews)
$$$
italian
italian
Enjoy authentic Italian dishes like chicken parm, focaccia, and handmade pasta in a romantic setting.
Enhance your meal with live piano performances, creating a perfect ambiance for date nights and celebrations.
Dine in our exclusive wine cellar with an extensive wine list and sommelier recommendations for a unique touch.
Indulge in a curated tasting menu featuring multiple courses of Italian specialties for special gatherings.
Host events in our private wine cellar room, ideal for intimate parties and family gatherings.
Secure your spot with advance reservations to ensure preferred seating in our popular dining areas.
Authentic Italian dining with live piano music in a romantic, historic setting.
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Bistro Romano offers an upscale Italian dining experience in the heart of Philadelphia's Society Hill. Known for its romantic ambiance, live piano music, and extensive wine selection, we serve classic Italian dishes like chicken parm, focaccia with whipped ricotta, and handmade pasta. Perfect for date nights, anniversaries, and special occasions, our restaurant features a cozy wine cellar and attentive service. With a 4.6/5 rating from over 1,000 reviews, we blend traditional flavors with a warm, inviting atmosphere.
Excellent food and great piano player. Very poor service. Went with family and had a tasting menu, which was terrific. Also really enjoyed the music, as the pianist has taste and talent. But service was really sloppy from the point of check-in to the dropping of the check. Awkward host who didn't know how to greet guests or suggest a place to wait (the bar was crowded but there was space, so she could have suggested that and walked us over and/or the cued the bartender, who was doing nothing, but she didn't do any of the above). Bartender makes lackluster drinks and has an even more lackluster personality, so had a strange time before we even reached our table. Once there, we were eventually given menus (3 menus for 4 people) by a sweaty, discombobulated server. Then we went through the first two courses before our wine arrived. On the subject of wine, I felt a little embarrassed for the place - and for the concept of service in general - because the wine was already opened when she gave it to us: no presentation, no tasting to make sure it isn't corked, etc. At a place that sells wine, it made you wonder if this one hadn't been opened already. Obviously, if you're spending over $100 per person, this kind of service is crass and overall unacceptable. We also had an interaction with management (also sweating, also harried in a not particularly busy dining room) that confused everyone and was a net negative. Place has a nice atmosphere (depending on the clientele), tasteful live music and a terrific chef, so I do hope they get their act together in the front of the house.
Bistro Romano has been on my list for quite some time, unfortunately it was a let down. It feels like we came on an off night. We booked our resy out a month in advance. We were seated at a table upstairs, next to the bar and pianist. We really wanted to sit downstairs, where there is more of an ambiance and dimly lit. When we were seated and asked our server, she said you need to go ask the hostess but then she eventually went and asked for us. Came back and said no. We were disappointed. We started with espresso martinis - truly the worst I’ve ever had. It was light brown and almost see through, that’s how watery it was. When I asked our server if she could remake it to be foamier and richer, she says what do you just want more espresso in it… I said I’m not sure I guess so. She didn’t remake it, she herself just added more espresso to it and then it tasted like a cup of cold coffee. It was terrible. She didn’t end up charging us for them, without us asking. Our food was all good. The focaccia was out of this world, especially topped with the tomato pesto and caprese. Phenomenal bite. The mafaldine pesto was a little too salty, I’ve had better pesto pasta elsewhere in the city. The gnocchi special was delicious and a huge portion. The calamari was standard. I found it odd that our server was also bartending. She didn’t have great customer service skills. For a place where I’m paying $100+ for a drink and food, I am expecting top notch service. It was also very disappointing that they could not accommodate us downstairs. There is nowhere to specify on the reservation where you would be seated. I will not be coming back.
The most romantic and chill atmosphere! Perfect for a date night, anniversary, or a birthday dinner 🫶🏻 Food was delicious and service was amazing. We made reservations but I’m sure you can just walk in and you wouldn’t wait long. You can sit in the secluded wine cellar (but im sure you have to call well in advance as there is only one spot) tldr: great vibes, great italian food and great wine.
A great well hidden spot in society hill. Make sure to get a reservation or put your name on the list as they have super limited walk ins! The ambiance was dark, and the piano music was incredible for a great date night! We ended up seated on a table next to the stairs, felt a bit cramped and in the middle of the walking paths, but otherwise the vibes were impeccable. Prices were very fair for the city! The focaccia with whipped ricotta was so light and creamy, and the balsamic glaze was the perfect sweet savory counter. The chicken parm was perfectly crispy, and the cheese was melty and fresh. The accompanying pasta was cooked al dente and with a nice sweet tomato sauce. Wine menu was very extensive and a sommelier made a fantastic recommendation. Calcio e Pepe brussel sprouts were out of this world, a bit lemony but otherwise perfectly seasoned. Will definitely be back for more!
We did the tasting menu with my parents. Great meal for a family gathering - just try to avoid the tight bench seats! The atmosphere is very very nice, and food is fantastic / classic Italian. The service is also very good - they seem to have a knowledgeable wait staff. In the future, we’ll try to get the private room in the cellar - it looked very nice!
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