Osteria da Zi Umberto

We visited Osteria da Zi Umberto during our recent trip to Rome, and overall, it was a charming experience with some standout moments. We kicked off with Aperol spritzes, which were perfectly refreshing, a great start to our evening. For our appetizers, we shared a dish featuring cheese, tomato, and olive oil, and it was absolutely delicious—simple yet fresh, with the flavors really shining through. It was the perfect way to warm up our appetites. As for the rest of the meal, things were a bit hit and miss. I ordered a salad, which was fine but nothing extraordinary. It was a bit underwhelming, especially given the incredible quality of the other dishes. My wife opted for a vegetable dish that was somewhat similar to spinach, but it wasn’t to our taste. We didn’t quite finish it, as it was unlike anything we’d had before, and it just didn’t appeal to us. For the main courses, however, things really picked up. I had the Carbonara, and it was fantastic—rich, flavorful, and indulgent. Every bite was packed with that perfect balance of creaminess and depth. My wife went with a stuffed beef dish, which she loved. It was fresh, tender, and full of flavor. Overall, Osteria da Zi Umberto has a lot to offer, especially in terms of quality mains and excellent starters. While not every dish hit the mark for us, the service was warm and welcoming, and the atmosphere felt very genuine. If you’re in the area, I’d recommend trying the Carbonara and the cheese, tomato, and olive oil starter—it’s worth the visit for those alone!

Amazing place! Highly recommend! The best vongole I had! (And I had it in 6 different restaurants)I made my reservation the night before and was greeted by my first name the next day and given the best table. Great atmosphere, great food, great service. It was my last night in Rome and I’m so happy we finished our vacation with a bang!!

Authentic and delicious. This place is very popular, so be prepared. There is a line before they even open. But if you get in, you are in for a treat! We tried three different pastas and they were all outstanding! The staff was very friendly and attentive. I can't wait to come back next time I'm in Rome.

We LOVED this spot! My cousin recommended it and it was our first time in the neighborhood. Such a wonderful experience. We got a seasonal salad which was a mixture of veggies. I believe it had escarole, artichokes, flava beans, and more… so good! We also split the zucchini flowers and carbonara pasta.

Excellent meal here today. Carbonara for me and gnocchi for the Mrs. Bread was great and service was very good. Strongly recommend reservations as the place filled up very quickly.

Osteria da Zi Umberto, nestled in the heart of Trastevere, offers an authentic Roman dining experience that captures the essence of traditional Italian cuisine. The restaurant's warm and inviting atmosphere, complemented by its rustic decor, creates a cozy setting for both locals and visitors alike. We started with a delightful mix of grilled vegetables. The red peppers stood out with their natural sweetness, enhancing the overall flavor profile of the dish. For the main course, we indulged in two classic Roman pasta dishes. The bucatini all'amatriciana featured perfectly cooked pasta enveloped in a rich tomato sauce, accented by the savory depth of guanciale. Equally impressive was the spaghetti alla carbonara, which boasted a creamy texture and a harmonious blend of eggs, guanciale, and pecorino cheese. Complementing our meal was the house wine, which paired seamlessly with the flavors of our dishes. The restaurant's charming ambiance made for a memorable dining experience. Whether you're dining with family, friends, or a loved one, Osteria da Zi Umberto provides a genuine taste of Rome's culinary heritage in a setting that feels both intimate and welcoming.

Osteria da Zi Umberto is the kind of place where your taste buds throw a party and your waistband begs for mercy — and honestly, both are worth it. Tucked into the buzzing heart of Trastevere, it serves up Roman classics with so much flavor and heart, you'd swear a nonna was hiding in the kitchen wielding a wooden spoon like a magic wand. The cacio e pepe is creamy, peppery perfection, the amatriciana is a bold, beautiful mess of tomato and guanciale glory, and the fried artichokes? Crispy gold. The wine is cheap, the vibe is chaotic in the best way, and the whole experience feels like you stumbled into a family dinner where you're the guest of honor — just don't expect peace and quiet. Come hungry, leave stuffed, and dream of returning every night thereafter.

Lovely atmosphere and kind staff. The house wine and broccoli were tasty. However, the carbonara was disappointing. The sauce should be creamy and almost silky, but this was the opposite. The egg and pecorino coagulated and the guanciale was not crispy.

Our 2nd night in Rome, we found this amazing little place. They were gracious enough to make room for our party of 6, we had outstanding service, sampled several amazing dishes & courses, drank good wine. It made for an incredible evening with friends.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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!!!

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.

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.

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!

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

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!

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

I'm going to review Osteria da Zio Umberto on two points: 1. Service 2. Food Quality First of all, let me give you my credentials on which my review is based. I am a native of Napoli (Which means I grew up on AMAZING food), I have been baking and cooking since I was 8 years old and I have held the position of Head Chef on Superyachts in the Med. So I know a thing or two about food. I live in Rome now. 1. Service - My girlfriend and I went for dinner to Zio Umberto because we were meeting old friends who came to Rome for the weekend and were staying in Trastevere so we opted for something more 'walking distance' from their hotel. We hadn't seen our friends for over a year so there was understandably, some catching up to do. From the moment we walked in, our waiter was eager to get us out. He didn't let five minutes go by before he was pressing us for our order, so we order drinks and carry on chatting... the drinks arrive and now he wants to know our order, but we're too busy catching up to look at the menu just yet... the clock is ticking... he's got to get us out! To get rid of him I order three different Antipasti for the table and he tells me that when he brings the Antipasti he wants us to know what our main is going to be... he's got to get us out! The Antipasti arrive, I quickly dive into the menu and decide to go for Tonnarelli Cacio e Pepe (because other reviewers say it is good), we also order Bucatini Amatriciana, Gnocchi con le Spuntature and Orecchiette con Broccoli e Salsiccia, all very rushed by the waiter because... he's got to get us out! So with the waiter gone, we try enjoy the company and the Antipasti which were: Carciofi alla Romana, Carciofi alla Giudia and Prosciutto e Mozzarella di Bufala. So I'm telling my friends why the Mozzarella di Bufala is really great (until you taste Burrata) and as I cut into the Mozzarella, I realise right away that it is not Mozzarella di Bufala and its not Fior di Latte either but the cheapest Mozzarella you could get. And this is the problem I have with all the restaurants in Central Rome. They know that most of their clients can't tell the wood from the trees and the food is appalling, the worst food in Rome is in Central Rome and the easiest way to spot a bad food Tourist Trap is if the Menu is in English and if the staff speaks English. These are surefire signs that you are about the get bent over the table by the people that run the establishment you are in. I'm a chef and I don't appreciate being lied to about what's in my plate. So for that reason, I was not impressed with the service, because besides the fact that he was always eager he's got to get us out, the establishment was also being dishonest and selling us quality food but serving the €1 supermarket special. To make things worse, the main course arrived while we were still eating our Antipasti which they decided to remove from the table without even asking if we were done. I had to tell them to put the Antipasti back on the table. Tsk tsk. Anyway, terrible service and attitude, always buzzing around the table trying to pry an order out of us because... he's got he's got to get us out! Waiter: Are you ready for dessert? Would you like a coffee with your dessert? Can I bring you your bill? Me: F@*€ off already! A fast food joint lets you eat in peace compared to this place - ZERO Stars. 2. Food Quality - I'll make this short, apart from the Mozzarella di Bufala scandal, the Carciofi alla Romana and alla Giudia was Ok (I wouldn't put their recipe in a cook book). The pastas was nothing to write home about: Tonnarelli Cacio e Pepe - Bland (how you F up a dish with Parmiggiano is beyond me!) Bucatini Amatriciana - Very tasty Gnocchi con le Spuntature - OK Orecchiette con Broccoli e Salsiccia - OK I was sure by the food that Dessert in this joint would be a BIG mistake, so we skipped it and suggested to my friends that we go somewhere else for a coffee as well. Basically I would advise you to avoid this place (see my previous point on menus in English and English speaking staff). If you want an good Roma Food Experience, go to Vecchia Roma in the Esquilino area... They are Much, Much, Much better.

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!

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.

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.

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 .

Estava ocorrendo tudo bem, 3 pratos e vinho que agradaram, até que veio a conta. Cobraram 7,5 euros a mais (total 60 euros). Logo que vi o erro, avisei a garçonete que levou meu questionamento ao Sr Mariano, que deve ser o gerente do local. Consumimos 2 primeiro prato (10 e 8 euros) e 1 segundo prato (12), uma indicação de vinho (15), uma água (2,5) e uma cerveja Peroni (5). Após isso, veio este Sr Mariano esbravejando e, sem se justificar, não atendeu nossos questionamentos. Detalhe que eles não apresentaram sequer uma comanda detalhada do consumo. Para evitar maiores problemas, paguei a conta. Apesar da diferença ser pequena, notei que o restaurante não se preocupa em ser transparente com seus clientes e tenta se aproveitar da boa-fé deles. Não voltarei ao local e não o indico a ninguém.

Mediocre food, rude staff, waste of €20 taxi fare to get there/back! Went to this restaurant that apparently had good pasta. When we got there, more or less first guests, the first waiter we saw barely said hello and looked like he'd just lost a loved one. I suggested a smile could work! The owner asked us if we wanted to eat outside or inside; we asked each other and before we could respond he made a snide remark about us having a big discussion to decide!? We sat outside and ordered an appetizer, three pasta dishes, plus 1/4 liter of chianti and 2 cokes. Starter consisted of 3 slices if prosciutto with small buffala mozzarella balls - no salt, pepper or olive oil proposed; bread not fresh. When I asked for a wine glass the waiter looked at me like I was asking for something he'd never heard of. Wow, great start to the evening. Pasta came and was really so-so. Absolutely nothing to recommend. Loud and arrogant staff that I believe have it too good. Either they don't like having tourists eat there, or they're just totally lost. They mocked family next to us who asked to move tables to avoid draft coming from gaping hole in plastic protection from outside. When we got our check they charged €10 for 1/4 liter of chianti (how much would it have been if it was a better wine??). Because I didn't want to argue, I paid and left. Their motto is clearly not "respect the customer and ensure they come back". Bad way to run a business! I surely won't return and don't recommend others to go.