Romolo Bar Romana

This was our first time dining at Romolo and it was a wonderful experience. We ordered the Rigatoni Lucanica pasta, Chopped Salad with chicken and the Heirloom Carpaccio. The pasta was some of the best pasta we’ve ever had. The combination of creamy sauce with Italian sausage and banana peppers was delicious. The interior of the restaurant was decorated with beautiful art you can buy. The aesthetic was both thoughtful and cozy. Great spot for a date night. We also ordered the spumoni ice cream ball for dessert, cannot recommend saving room for it enough.

My fiancée and I had a really lovely Valentine’s dinner at Romolo. The interior was cozy, especially with the soft lighting and local art along the interior. It was lively for the holiday, but not cramped. We started with drinks and the Fritto Misto(not pictured) which was excellent. I had the Rigatoni Lucanica for my entree. The sauce and fennel sausage had a nice heat to them from the banana peppers. It was unique compared to most Italian pasta dishes. My fiancée had the Costolette D’Angnello, which was on a whole other level. The lamb was cooked perfectly at medium rare, very tender and not gamey in the least. The polenta and greens were savory, as well. They had a special dessert for the evening, Spumoni gelato covered in dark chocolate and pistachio crumbs. The appetizer and entree portions were generous, but we couldn’t say no to such a tempting dessert. The service was warm and attentive from all staff. We’d love to come back and try the pizza next time. Thank you for such a memorable evening!

Wow. Best pasta I’ve had in years. Got the seafood fettuccini - so full of delicious shrimp, clams, crab. My celiac guest also had a gluten free pasta with no ill effects.

I love this place. There are plenty of Italian restaurant options, but this place is exceptional. The food is unique and while they have some heavier items, they include ingredients that balance and cut richness very well. Their Alfredo is amazing and delicate (and not drenched in white bechemel). The sausage burrata and also the brussel sprout appetizers are craveable. Desserts fab and not excessively sweet. Reservations easy, parking lot available. Big recommend.

Went there for a work Christmas party, party of 14. The food was delicious, salad and pizza to start. Then chicken followed by a to die for pasta and thin sliced sirloin cook perfectly 👌 While I can not speak for the front of the house/bar, our banquet room server was quite slow and never smiled once. Nevertheless we enjoyed the vibe and the food, and would definitely recommend visiting!

Really delicious. The menu is limited, which I think is a good idea as it allows the chef to add and remove items. The Suppli de Teli risotto balls are not your typical Arancini floating in tomato sauce. Your first bite is a mouthful of flavor with a slightly vinegary, black pepper, delicately cheesey and risotto flavor. Don't miss the cheese smear under the Suppli. It adds a light sweetness to the peppery bites. Truly an excellent appetizer. We also had the Polpette appetizer with a deep meaty flavor in the meatball and a delicious tomato ragu reminiscent of Sunday gravy in it's depth of flavor. They offer a meatball sandwich with these meatballs; we will be trying that! For our meals we had Fettuccine Alfredo with chicken and the Cocoletta (veal chop). The Alfredo sauce is made in the Italian style. Rather than cream, it is made with cheese and pasta water. Really delicious. The pasta was perfectly al dente with a great chew and topped with black truffle 😘. The veal chop was cooked to your preference and huge! Mine was med rare and was seasoned perfectly. I never even looked for salt or pepper. Delicious! The baby potatoes were crispy and perfectly seasoned and the asparagus was baby finger sized and grilled well. We were too full for dessert. The wine offering is small, but well curated. We had no alcohol this time. Highly recommended!

Made reservations for NYE and only told a high top for two was available on arrival. High top table was super close to bar and where servers get drinks. Table moved and uneven - nobody seemed to care. Asked server about Prixe fixe menu and did not know any information about it - except that it existed. Ho

Fantastic steak the filet minion was better than any big name steak house with just the right amount of a glazed outer layer. I had the pizza that was real gourmet it was different than a others. This place has so many types of seating areas to choose from, that will make anyone happy.

Great service and drinks Very accommodating! Food was good and it was nice they served bread with garlic butter

First visit to Romolo was a good one. I like the small, intimate feel of the place. Almost wish it was a little darker so it'd be a better date spot. I tried to order the seafood fettuccine and the server came back a few minutes later to tell me they were out of shrimp so they couldn't make it, period. I would've accepted it with just the other ingredients (e.g., clam) and maybe some chicken, but she said that wasn't an option. Weird. She was otherwise friendly and quick, though. I ordered the rigatoni lucanica instead and it was really good and perfectly al dente, though perhaps it had too many crumbs to enjoy the rest of the flavors. For dessert, I had the tiramisu affogato and it was good -- I really just wanted the coffee but it was a fun way to drink it. The wine list was just okay, though I'm a bit of a wine snob. I'd probably just bring my own bottle and pay corkage next time, if that's an option.

A good social media presence will drive traffic. I wanted to check out Romolo's happy hour because insta made it sound real good. The wine deals were nice. I liked the red by the glass on deal. It had a twist too but it was nice. Appetizers are part of the happy hour deal. I wasn't the biggest fan. It was good not fantastic. Great space and the bar was the place to sit if you were lucky. It's a real neighborhood vibe.

Romolo is the best local restaurant/bar in Pleasant Ridge/Ferndale/Royal Oak area!! The food is amazing and the service is outstanding. It's truly our "Cheers" for those who are old enough to remember the series. Colleen and all the staff make us feel like family and we have so much fun sitting at the bar and catching up with staff and other regulars while enjoying perfect cocktails/wine and delicious food.

I really mean it when I say this, do yourself a favor and visit this place. We have driven by it for years and today. We finally got a chance to check it out. The location is convenient and so is the parking they have their own lot. Once we open the door, my first impression was really nice. It's beautiful beautifully decorated very clean and classy too. Colleen, our waitress made us feel right at home. They have a happy hour on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. He had a burger and said it was really great and I had the mushroom pizza which was wonderful. One of the best pizzas I've had in a long time. The music was really great. We heard songs from Prince and Elvis to name a few. The fries were really great and the cocktail was great too. I don't write a lot of restaurant reviews, but I had to. Every few months they have new art on the walls which you can buy all of. It was really nice. Definitely check this place out. You will not be disappointed!

The service was excellent, the food amazing. There is a happy hour 4-6 on certain days of the week and I would define you come back! The appetizer was a recommendation from the waiter and it was really good! The calamari was lightly breaded and went really well with the lemon! The rigatoni was an amazing combination of flavors. I would think banana peppers with sausage and panko breadcrumbs would go but it was delicious! The fettuccine was a little thick and oily but still hit that craving sweet spot. Overall, I would come back!

Seems like this place is a hit or miss, but should not be a miss on anything, and unfortunately I don't think the owner reads Yelp reviews. Came here for a luncheon and there were 4 courses that were self serve buffet style. Clearly they are understaffed, but they did well. The first course were 2 salads , both very very good. 2nd course as pizza, amazingly good, especially the pepperoni with pesto. 3rd was the entrees. Grilled chicken breast was bland, meatballs were all meat, Alfredo sauce was good on the pasta, but the red sauce that day was kinda plain and chunky. Lastly was the dessert. Tiramisu was amazing, but the mini canolis was missing sugar in the filling. The decor is nice, but I don't think the old Italian mural is necessary in a restaurant. The nudes are too distracting for me, but I'm not European.

Made reservations for NYE. My husband and I were seated at a high-top for two right by the bar - while surrounded by 3-4 empty 4 tops. Politely asked to change tables and was told by the hostess that this was not possible due to other reservations. The tables remained empty for the next hour. Our server couldn't explain the Prix Fixe Menu and said that it was new and did not know it well. So, skipped that option for $80 per person. Asked about the happy hour specials and was told because it was NYE, they were not running them. Understandable, so why keep the tabletop information about their happy hour specials still on the table? Throughout the entire meal, my husband and I wondered if there was a manager or an owner present. It didn't seem like it and for what this restaurant is trying to deliver, it fell short in many ways.

Visited Romolo for first time. Used to go here alot when it was Cork. Had a fantastic bottle of pinot noir with the pepperoni pizza during happy hour. Colleen was awesome behind the bar while we watched the Tigers win game 4 vs Seattle. Will definitely go back to try other things

I went there tonight for their happy hour and was very impressed. This pizza was not part of their happy hour specials, but it was delicious! I also enjoyed a glass of wine and a half-off appetizer, not pictured. We were a decent size group, and it appeared that our waitress was the only one working in the restaurant, but she did a great job! She was very attentive, and I never felt neglected once.

Went there last week at Happy Hour. Colleen at the bar made a fantastic Countach Manhattan. Service & ambience was great. Ordered 3 (half off!) appetizers & all 3 were excellent. Highly recommend!

Sorry to have to write this, but after going to Romolo 15-20 times it is just average at best. I stopped eating and only have cocktails when I go meet a friend. The ownership is the same from when it was Cork, when the food was good. Another thing to point out is the clientele has changed. It used to be filled with younger people (Cork), now it feels like a restaurant for elderly. FYI: One of the bar tenders loves to tell you how great Trump is. Where is management to tell her to keep her politics to herself. Last point, the music is awful. Country, bad pop music for a supposed Italian restaurant doesn't make any sense.

Went with a family group and had a fantastic meal. The seafood linguine was the absolute best I have ever had. Each menu item was delicious and everyone was happy. Enjoyed the ambiance and music.

This is a lovely place. It isn't easy to find Italian cuisine in this area; that isn't based on pizza. I ordered a fettuccine Alfredo that I really enjoyed. It was made with white truffle oil, which I do not care for, but it was applied sparingly and that kept it from overpowering the dish. I also had the cheesecake, which was really good. It had a browned top, which is not how most people expect cheesecake, but don't fear the char. Our server was very friendly and helpful. When I opted against adding black truffles to my Alfredo, she took the time to point out about the white truffle oil. She knew the menu very well. I also liked the decor. Nice artwork, some of which were for sale.

It pains me to write a negative review of a somewhat new place, but if they don't improve their game they're gonna go outta business. Upon arriving, no hostess. Someone came up to us, looked confused, had no menus, wasn't sure where to seat us. At this point I was thinking we should just leave, unfortunately we didn't. Ordered a beer upon being seated, came back 15 minutes later and said they were out of it. I said I'll just have water. "Crispy" Brussels sprout appetizer was mushy. Polenta balls were bland. All of the pasta plates we had were bland with mushy, overcooked noodles. Then to top it off, they screwed up the check and had no idea how to correct it. Obviously, we won't be back and I'll be surprised if this place remains open.

Justice for Romolo! Tried a bunch of different things (apps, salad, pastas, cheesecake) and everything was super good. The risotto balls and lucanica pasta were my faves but there really wasn't a bad item!!

Good service, hostess and waitress were great. Really good wine selection. Had the sausage pizza, the risotto ball app, and the bucatini. All were good. Would come back. Good local spot.

Shannon was THE BEST server at this sweet Italian restaurant on Woodward Ave. during the Dream Cruise! We LOVED OUR FOOD (chicken fettuccine and my veggie pasta) and the cheesecake dessert!! Love love love

Always good service, excellent food, good drinks. Desserts are especially good. Highly recommend!

I've been looking forward to visiting this restaurant since they announced their opening-- Unfortunately, Romolo did not deliver. To start, the ambience is confusing. The interior has a casual bar feeling with basic plates, car art on the walls, and diner-style chairs however, the prices are $18+ for an appetizer and $40-52 for an entree. Is this a neighborhood Italian restaurant with wine or a four-star gastronomy experience? I think they are trying to be the latter but the food and ambiance did not justify the $$ The menu is Italian but no bread / pizza and only 4 pasta dishes. If you have dietary restrictions there are almost no options for you. As someone who is pescatarian, we were limited to only 1 salad or 1 pasta dish that didn't have meat (primi piatti). We ordered both: the Misticanza salad was simple but fresh however the Fettuccini Alfredo was salty and undercooked -- I requested the shaved truffle on the side (which never came, even after I asked for it) and had to ask for parmigiano twice which was the only thing that made the dish salvageable. For the secondo (main course) we split the Acqua Pazza for $48. There were very few pieces of shrimp or calamari in the dish, the Seabass was dry, and we chose not to finish it. In addition to forgetting to give us silverware or the side items we ordered - our waiter never asked us if the food was OK or seemed to care much about our half empty plates. We chose not to take anything with us and went down the street to Comos to get pizza. I sincerely hope this place modifies their menu to accommodate different palates and price points (happy hour + 1 vegetarian / vegan entree, pizza menu, rotating pasta) otherwise I do not think they will make it amongst all the competition on Woodward.

Loved everything about Romolo. The food and cocktails are WONDERFUL! The staff is great, decor, etc. is awesome. Try the Rigatoni if you like a bit of spice.

New gem in town! Been here quite a few times and it seems to only get better with each visit! I like to give new restaurants a few tries, especially small businesses. I try to make it for happy hour when I can as the portions are huge and it's a good time to try the whole menu. I am just glad a place finally has happy hour again, it seems like that died in the pandemic. I sit at the bar and Karen is very friendly, she has recommended wines i haven't heard of before, all good and decent priced. The pastas are all fantastic and different! The portions are quite large, so I've been sticking to salads in this heat. They just offered protein add ons for the salads and are definitely a meal in themself. I'm so happy this is close to my work! And with easy, free parking. I have avoided the rest of the area fighting for spots after a long day. Definitely give this a try!

Three visits. Food is great, reasonably priced. Some initial service jitters but they will work it out. Well worth it.

Held a private event. Great service and amazing food. Very fair prices for the quality of food, drinks and service.

Food was incredible. I've been there 4+ times and everything has always been great. I loved the Brussels appetizers. Good wine selection. Karen - the bartender was super nice. Great happy hour. The Rigatoni Luciano and Gnocchi are amazing. One of the best Italian places I've been to out this way. Highly recommend.

our brunch group met here 3/2/25 they were very accommodating and the food was excellent definitely would return decor is lovely

We had a fabulous Valentine's Day dinner at Romolo. Special shout out to Marc for accommodating us at the last minute and extending his servant heart to our table - making our evening so special! The food and wine was exceptional. We cannot wait to return!

How about a big juicy burger Or a piece of salmon grilled Menu too fussy for our neighborhood A big Cobb salad would be wonderful But maybe the owners would not go for this I can't think of a single Ferndale restaurant with entree salad options Just my opinion

my husband and I came to have happy hour and a pizza on a Wednesday evening with my son and his wife, mainly to see some of my paintings hanging in the restaurant. ordered a few starters and wine then ordered two pizzas only to be told they didn't have any dough ready and would take an hour. Disappointed, we ordered a few pasta dishes, which we really didn't want because we came for the pizza. I then asked for some bread to go with the pasta, which then was told we would have to pay for it. I was blown away with this after we couldn't have any pizza which I thought maybe they would throw a few pieces in for our troubles. very put off with this type of service and will not come here ever again. there was no one else in the restaurant except for us. with this type of service, and with these prices, I can't see this place lasting very long. very disappointed with this establishment

Perhaps the worst pasta I have ever eaten. Cheap overcooked noodles. Bad watery sauce. The opposite of authentic. My wife sent hers back (which I've never seen her do before) because it tasted like cafeteria food. The octopus salad was good but it was the only bright spot. For as empty as it was it was surprising how slow the kitchen was. Hugely disappointing.

If you crave Italian, this is it! No pictures but, meatballs, risotto, salads were amazing! Gnocchi full of flavor, fettuccine so buttery and delicious, steak cooked to perfection. Cocktails were well made and great selection of wine-

Romolo was just OK. Once was enough. We walked in and the hostess was standing at the desk but didn't smile, greet us or so one word. Finally we told her we had a reservation and without saying anything, she grabbed menus and started walking to a table. That was our "Romolo Welcome". Yikes. The menu is small but they have enough variety to satisfy most everyone. We ordered the fritto misto, the meatballs and the fettuccine alfredo. The two appetizers were actually quite good-especially the meatballs. The pasta was horrible. They probably had the noodles in the water for not more than one minute. I have no problem with "al dente" pasta but this was taken to the extreme to where we could barely bite through it. The sauce had broken but they served it anyway. Seriously disgusting....and at an Italian restaurant no less. If you can't do pasta correctly, you may want to rethink your business model. Our server was good but I unfortunately don't remember her name. We are glad to have a restaurant in the neighborhood again but this one won't last.

loved the food and service was incredible great atmosphere and drinks hostess was so kind and so were the staff will definitely be coming back!!

visiting from Chicago and wasnt expecting too much but ordered the oxtail gnocchi and meatball app and not only received one of the most delicious and excellently prepared dishes I've had, but fantastic service and an experience I will be returning for.