Osteria da Zi Umberto

We had a group of 12 women. They were so accommodating. The server was fun and personable he made our night! Food was delicious! I tried things I'd never had before on the server's recommendation and it did not disappoint.

Rude service manager that holds the reservation book. There are many reviews here talking about how racist the manger and staff are. I did not believe it until my own experience. Those people calling this restaurant an “institution” and assigning other grand accolades are condoning this business’s conduct. They cannot serve sub standard food with racist displays and clearly arrogant waiters and claim it part of their Roman charm. That is an insult to Roman hospitality. I asked the manager about a dish called “beef roll” .. how often does one see beef roll on an Italian menu? he asked me where I was from and then proceeded to draw circles on the dining table paper covering. You can see the handy work in the photo with the red chilli flake bowl ( more on that later) Super condescending, really bad attitude. Disinterested servers too. Lemon veal had the smell and taste of raw meat and not a hint of lemon in a hazy sauce, meant to be usually clear.. Fried zucchini was more like deep fried stale bread with barely noticeable zucchini flower. Never mentioned it was also full of sardines Caprise salad… raw tomatoes and cheese was hard and lacking any flavour. Barely any olive oil. Booked dinner due to a YouTube review but this is a subpar and overhyped restaurant, courtesy of some popular Influencers. My server was rude. Never brought the bread. Never refilled water / nor even opened the bottle. Didn’t even serve the wine. They charge you £2 per person for chilli oil and sea salt. I asked for the 4£chilli oil. The server asked if i wanted it “dry” and upon asking what he meant by dry he just stormed off to the kitchen and came back with a bowl full of red chilli flakes, per photo, near slammed on table and said “DRY” and stormed off again. If this is what some people want to justify as an experience that tourists should embrace, I have to disagree. This is bad tasting food and an unprofessional restaurant manager and rude waiters. People suggesting that tourists should expect less because this is a popular local spot does not make sense. Rome or NY, restaurants owe a good service and respect. This is not a food bank. People pay for good food and good experience. This place offers neither. This restaurant is the most overrated in my dining experience.

Loved this place! Although there are still tourists, it felt local. You are right outside the busiest area of the neighborhood. It can get very busy, but we were seated straight away. I had the fresh pasta with calamari and this was the best pasta I think I might have ever eaten. My boyfriend ate the carbonara which was also very good. And please!!! Taste the tiramisu!!! It is so great, and you can’t beat the €4 price 😍

A nice osteria near Piazza Trilussa: traditional food, young staff and a rustic atmosphere. The fried cod fillet was very good, the zucchini flower less so. The Roman-style artichoke was well-cooked but the seasoning could have used a little something extra. The cacio e pepe was much better than the carbonara, although unfortunately, both pastas were a bit overcooked. The best I've ever eaten? No, but not bad either. I will just say some decent Roman pastas. However, the highlights were the coda alla vaccinara and the crispy, well-seasoned puntarelle. Even though they were the simplest dishes, they were also the best. Reservation is crucial on weekends, as it is always very busy. Prices are fair. There are certainly things to improve, but with all the quantity they manage, one cannot expect every detail to be on point. Finally, I’d recommend it for a nice Roman dinner in the heart of Trastevere.

This exceptional osteria not only delights with its culinary prowess but also offers a cozy ambiance. The eggplant dish was a symphony of flavors, showcasing the chef's skill. The raw beef and lamb were a gastronomic delight, blending textures and savory notes perfectly. What further elevates the experience is the inclusion of homemade wine, adding a personal touch to the dining experience. I wholeheartedly recommend this restaurant for those seeking a memorable culinary journey with a touch of warmth and authenticity.

A true Roman osteria. We came 10 minutes before they opened and there was already a cue, but we got a table immediately. The staff is great and very attentive. It really feels like they love their job. Food arrived fast and was delicious. We had two starters, one pasta, one secondi, one dessert, half liter of wine, amaro and coffee and paid 62€. Well worth it!

Very good service, at home and cute atmosphere, authentic local food with authentic pricing. Trippa alla Romana was really tasty and it only cost 9 euros. 500ml of wine was 7 euros. Service staff were very friendly and so natural which made us feel so welcomed even tho we're foreigners. I'd like to go back there whenever I can.

Restaurant Review for Zio Umberto in Rome Zio Umberto in Rome is an absolute gem that offers what might just be the best pasta you’ll ever taste. Tucked away in a charming corner of the city, this restaurant has gained a stellar reputation for its homemade pasta, and it truly lives up to the hype. The star of the menu is undoubtedly the **Cacio e Pepe**, a Roman classic that Zio Umberto elevates to an art form. The dish features perfectly al dente pasta bathed in a creamy, peppery sauce made from Pecorino Romano cheese and black pepper. Each bite is a symphony of flavors, with the sharpness of the cheese beautifully balanced by the heat of the pepper, creating a dish that’s both simple and exquisite. It’s the kind of meal that lingers in your memory long after you’ve left the table. But the delights don’t stop there. The menu boasts a variety of other pasta dishes, all crafted with the same dedication to quality and tradition. Whether you choose the rich, savory **Amatriciana** or the fresh, herbaceous **Pesto alla Genovese**, you’re in for a treat. The pasta itself is a revelation—homemade, with a texture and flavor that far surpasses anything you can find elsewhere. Due to its well-deserved acclaim, Zio Umberto is always bustling with patrons eager to savor its culinary delights. The place is constantly full, and for good reason. To ensure you don’t miss out on this unforgettable dining experience, it’s highly recommended to book a table in advance. This way, you can avoid the disappointment of a long wait or, worse, being turned away at the door. In summary, Zio Umberto is a must-visit for anyone seeking the pinnacle of pasta perfection in Rome. The atmosphere is lively, the service is warm and attentive, and the food is nothing short of exceptional. Make sure to secure a reservation and prepare yourself for a meal that redefines what great pasta can be. It’s a dining experience that you’ll cherish and want to repeat on every visit to the Eternal City.

One of my favorite meals in Rome. It was an overall great dinner. We had a party of 5 and had a several different dishes. All of them were excellent. Alessandro was our server and he had us laughing out loud. If you are in Trastevere neighborhood, it's a solid establishment

Wondered into the Trastevere neighborhood on a lovely Friday night and happened upon this establishment. They have a lovely outdoor seating and traditional small Italian indoor seating. It had a very homey feel and the food tastes like grandma in the back whipped it up! Service was quick and friendly. We ordered: Caprese Salad 10/10 Spaghetti with seafood 10/10 Cacio e Pepe 8/10 Overall it was a fun dinning experience and to be on the Trastevere neighborhood at night was nice.

Stopped by for dinner while in the Trastevere neighborhood. Their outdoor seating was full so sat inside. Food details below: -caprese salad (9/10) -spaghetti with seafood (10/10) -cacio e pepe (8/10) -house red wine (7/10) Overall, food is good. The cacio e pepe is a bit on the heavy side. They do not have a large selection of wines as I asked for Sauvignon blanc and they do not have it. Service was good.

So much love for this beautiful and charmingly authentic restaurant in Trastevere, really bustling and fun atmosphere. The food was perfecto, amazing Cacio e Pepe and the side of Cicore if you like bitter greens. Grazie Mille!

So friendly so homemade so lovely. Streetside dining in the square. Many locals. The tables get filled up at lunch inside and out! The polenta was A+.

No reason to skip this classic Italian restaurant. Great service, phenomenal food. A bit rustic and old school but embraces art in a special way.

This place was phenomenal. First off they were nice enough squeeze us in without a reservation. We went there on the recommendation of a tour guide. This was by far my best meal in Rome. The cacio de pepi dish was the best I had in Rome. They had a warm and inviting atmosphere.

Our hosts in Rome suggested we try Da Zi Umberto. My only regret is that we did not visit our first night. This is a local favorite, and as such does not cater to Americans; I left my American "can I change this or that" at home, and our dinner was out of this world fantastic. Following our host's suggestion, we ordered the house wine; this was a double win since it was one of only two Chiantis my husband enjoyed on our Italian adventure. Be sure to make reservations! Even calling a day ahead, we had to take the first opening--9:45pm; it was worth it.

So, this is my third day in Rome and this place serves the most scrumptious pastas. All along I thought you can't go wrong with p&p (pizza and pasta) in Italy, but boy was I wrong. There are definitely some better than others. Anyway, look at my pictures, all these dishes were delicious. I'm sorry but I don't know the name of the dishes. Bare in mind, the Italians cooked their pastas very al dente but they were still good. Come here if you guys are looking for some authentic Italian pastas.

Amazing. Super authentic, very kind. Some of the best pasta we had in Rome! We didn't have reservations but found seating easily, they have both indoor and outdoor seating.

It was an absolute treat to dine here. Our service was excellent and the food came out fast (although it didn't seem fast for everyone around us, the table next to us got their food 30 min after us). We got the fried zucchini flowers and they were okay. They came with two pieces. We got the gnocchi with tomato sauce and the amatriciana and both were amazing!! If it were just for these two dishes alone, I may have bumped it up to five stars. Unfortunately, we have high standards being in Rome for the past four days The dessert was the worst part. We got the ricotta with chocolate sauce and it was pretty awful. It definitely left a bad taste in our mouth for the end of our dinner. The house wine was delicious and well priced. The place got busy so I would suggest getting there at 7:30 when it opens or make a reservation.

Best restaurant we ate at in Rome, phenomenal food and service. Unbelievable atmosphere. It was our first night in Rome and everyone kept wanting to go back there. My family loved it! The pasta was incredible. The house wine was really something don't bother with a bottle and the tiramisu was otherworldly.

FANTASTIC FOOD! Was sent here by an Italian friend of a friend and had the best meal I've had in Rome, and maybe one of the best traditional Italian meals I've had...EVER (and I've lived in American Italian cuisine meccas NYC and Philadelphia for nearly 20 years).

You know it's a good place when all the restaurants around are empty and this one is full. Had a nice lunch starting with fried cod and a few different local recommended pasta dishes. Great service and fun waiters. They are happy to be there.

Waiters refused to seat us because we look different. We joined the line behind two Caucasian ladies and asked for a table for two. The ladies got seated within 5 minutes. Two Caucasian men arrived after us and got seated immediately. At this point, I approached the waiter. He said the next table opens in one hour and suggested I make a reservation. I pointed out he seated the two men behind us, waiter said they had a "reservation". An older, Caucasian couple arrived without a reservation just now. I watched as another waiter greeted and asked if they have a reservation, and the couples shook their heads. Yet, they were seated immediately. I looked around at the 5 empty tables and left. Is this racism? Or do we look like we cannot afford a 10€ pasta and 4€ tiramisu? Not sure.

It's worth getting out of the main touristy area of Rome and walking across the foot bridge to this area of restaurants and bars. To get here cross the bridge, then cross the street and bear right. You'll pass one restaurant on the right and see two others next to each other; this place is the one to the right. It's super busy during lunch, and during dinner as long as you get there before 8-8:30 you should be fine. The servers for the most part can't speak English, but they do their best. By default they give you a sparkling bottle, you can ask for flat. We had the fried calamari (small but deliciously fresh), the fettuccini in tomato and sausage (great), the spaghetti carbonara (cooked al dented and the way carbonara should be cooked -I.e. no cream!!!!), and the side of broccoli rabe is an absolute must!!!

My wife and I had such a great experience sampling this restaurant on our food tour that we went back for a full meal. We arrived at 7:30 PM (19:30) just as things were beginning to fill up for dinner. If you're arriving later, you may want to make a reservation. Americans should note that dining in Italy is not like at home (no-brainer, but needs saying). Your server will not come to your table without you getting their attention. Don't be surprised to ask twice for your bill. There's an experience being had that's integral to the Italian culture when dining. Be aware that it takes time. If you want to dine and dash, go to a bar and order take away food. Also, expect to pay with cash at most restaurants; this one also takes cards. That being said, the food was absolutely fantastic from antipasto to dessert. The prices are more than fair--especially for the quality of the food. The staff was incredibly accommodating of our poor Italian and more than friendly (e.g., our server knew we were honeymooning and provided limoncello shooters to us on the house). TL;DR: If I'm in Rome again any time soon, I'll be going back.

First off, YOU NEED A RESERVATION. This is a VERY popular local spot, and similar to Da Enzo, you can't be upset if there's just no seat for you upon walking up. Osteria Zi'Umberto remains my number one spot for a meal when I visit Rome. Is it the best food? It comes in a VERY close tie to Da Enzo. However, the crackling personalities and fiery spirit I've come to love about Rome can be felt here. First off, I've seen some complaints about Mariano, the owner. He is gruff, he is direct, and if you do some research on Italian profanity, you will find that his vocabulary is very colorful. He is also my favorite part about this place. He and his staff deliver an experience that results in you eating excellent food. They know that's what they're there for. Sure, I've never had a long, pleasant conversation with the server where they answered all 15 of my questions while catering to MY native tongue. But I've never had an empty glass, I was never short on food, and I never had to worry about a bad meal. And I've had short, quippy conversations where the server applauded my 3 words of Italian. The spirit of Rome is alive here, and the authentic Roman cuisine keeps it breathing. I don't want to tell you how much I love this place, because I want it to myself. Never mind, don't go, it's terrible.

Amazing food. Get there early or make a reservation. I went for dinner at 7:30 on a Tuesday night, which I was the first customer for the dinner time. By 8:30, the restaurant was full. Their seasonal dish, fried zucchini flower - a tour guide told me the dish is delicious and I saw locals eating it as well. So I figured I should try. It had a nice punch of anchovies, and the outside was actually chewy, like a softer version of pizza dough, and had just the right amount of salt on it. Although it was deep fried, it wasn't greasy at all. I enjoyed it, it was interesting. Gnocchi with tomato sauce and pork - was to die for. So delicious. The best gnocchi ever. The pork was super tender and melted in my mouth. It also came with a small piece of park sausage. The tomato sauce was just perfect. Although I wanted to try their dessert, I was already full so finished the meal with classic espresso. The service was great. All of them spoke English, and they were very helpful of deciding what to order. I saw them welcoming every customer by opening the front door for them. The bill was only 28 euros, which included a bottle of water, a glass of house wine, and a salad. Amazing.

Excellent. Don't miss this place. $10 cab ride, $40 meal. It's a no brainer and excellent food guaranteed, make reservation.

After a long walk from the Botanical Gardens, this was a refreshing and welcome spot to enjoy a tasty bite and crisp citrusy white wine on a very warm afternoon. We sat outside, of course, and shared a lovely caprese salad - the mozzarella is so fresh and practically melts in your mouth! We followed it up with two platters of spinach ravioli in a pomodoro sauce - fantastic! On the side, we had a nice, inexpensive bottle of white wine recommended by our server, Mariano. What a fabulous meal! But, of course we stayed for dessert - strawberries with cream of vanilla ice cream for me and tiramisu for my partner. We thoroughy enjoyed spending a few hours here. The server had an engaging and very funny personality and the surroundings were perfect in Trastevere! We wrapped it all up with a couple shots of limoncello ... when in Rome! Ahhh, and there's free WIFI Too... :) Molto Bene!

I was recommended this place by a friend and she was absolutely right! Zi Umberto was more than amazing, it was a perfect meal. I enjoyed every part of my visit, from the service to the meal, to the conversations with the guests. I ordered the Carbonara and the waiter offered to create a dual flavored dish with his favorite style of pasta as well. The calamari in tomato sauce was delicious and I cleaned the plate of its tasty and spicy tomato sauce. The house red wine was also a nice addition to the meal, completing the italian experience. Topped off with their homemade Tiramisu, leaving full and extremely satisfied with my visit. If you end up coming here and your waiter is Angelo, you'll be very happy coming here. I hope that everyones experience will be as good or better than mine :) When I come back to Rome, this will be my first visit!

This place was recommended by our hotel staff as one of the few remaining authentic Roman restaurants. I'm not sure how true that is but the food was good and affordable and service was good considering how packed it was and we went on a Wednesday night. House wine was cheap and decent. We had the spaghetti carbonara, calamari, roasted veggies, ox tails, and some dessert that was pretty terrible. Everything was great except the dessert it was some type of cake that tasted days old as it was too hard and dry to get a fork through easily. If they run out of tiramisu like they did when we were there I wouldn't bother with dessert. There are plenty of gelaterias around anyway and the Trastevere neighborhood is fun to explore at night. I would recommend making a reservation, if not it would probably be at least a 30 minute wait. I would definitely recommend this place!

Cacio e pepe here is DIVINE! This place is very popular among locals, and their prices are hard to beat.

I don't know anything about this place except that while we sat at the restaurant next door, over the course of two hours it had a continuous line of people waiting for a seat. So apparently it's good. My rating is based only on that.

The service at Da Zi Umberto was great. A waiter noticed that I wasn't really into my appetizer, and offered to switch it out. It was really kind and speaks to their commitment to their customers enjoying their meals.

Good food, super rude service. Because it's popular they get pushy about you leaving at the end of your meal so that kind of soured the experience for us.

There is a pesto here, which is yellow and spicy and changed my life. They might not speak English, so to make sure you get the right thing, ask for the "il pesto che e giallo" (pronounced jah-lo). It is a hard-to-find restaurant in a little corner of a tiny piazza in Trastevere. But if you want a grand slam pasta, seek it out for this pesto. The steak was terrible, like inedible, but damn that pesto just made up for it all. Have a litro of wine and enjoy a classic, non-touristy osteria experience. There is a nice covered patio outside as well.

i don't have much to compare since i've had only a handful of pasta dishes in italy (or ever) - but the amatricana here was excellent. i was in no way hungry i didn't want anything but i demolished the dish. waiters were also very helpful and attentive. prices good. only thing is the fried appetizers (zucchini flowers and cod) were pretty terrible. come here for excellent pasta and mains. also book ahead

After a pretty hectic day, my friend and I were excited to try out the restaurants in our area. We spotted this place as we were wandering round and it looked like it had a good buzz. Unfortunately, it was one of the biggest regrets of the trip. The food was alright but the service was shocking. First off, I was literally shoved to the side by one of the wait staff when enquiring about a table. Then we were outright ignored by all of the staff so were left with no idea if we were even on the wait list. When we finally got a table we were, I kid you not, thrown glasses and menus while being rushed to order by our sassy waiter. If I wrote a list of all the things they were rude about then I'd end up with a novel so all I can say is if you're looking for a peaceful or atleast enjoyable dinner then avoid this place!

This was also a place that was recommended by our hotel and it was incredible- small place in a very fun "locals" part of town - we spent our whole night here bar hopping afterwards. You'll love it.

Our best meal in Rome was at Zi' Mberto. Reservations are a must. I loved that this seems to be a local spot. We walked over from the Piazza di Santa Maria and it was a very cool walk through the windy streets of Trastevere. We had burrata for an appetizer and the house wine. I had the cacio e pepe; which was really yummy and my boyfriend had a steak he really enjoyed. The servers do not speak a ton of English, so you get to practice your Italian! The vibe was energetic and fun. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone visiting Rome.

We went in at 10pm for a late dinner. Although we didn't have reservations, got seated immediately. We got the Cacio e Pepe and Amatriciana, both of which were excellent. The prices were fair, service was extremely fast! Even when we took our time, the whole meal from being seated to leaving took us less than 45mins.

Food was good but not better than any other place in the area. They make a point of being rude and insulting customers . You might find it funny. We didn't .

This place is Amazing! Super packed by locals so try to get there early and make a reservation. We got there at around 9:15pm and it was packed. I asked one of the servers if we an come back later and he was nice enough to accommodate us and let us come back at 10:30pm. The staff was super helpful I got a primo course with "the vegetable sauce" t'was to die for. My friend got one of the starter pastas which was also amazing. The portions are a pretty good size. The fried calamari was some of the best I've had in Europe so far. Everything looked amazing and I want to come back so I can try everything on the menu .