You definitely need reservations — the place was packed as soon as it opened. And it’s a little more dressy — we came in our day wear(shorts, etc.) we didn’t look homeless but we certainly weren’t wearing khakis and button down shirts and got a few stares from the staff. We felt uncomfortable enough that no one wanted to get up to walk through the restaurant to use the restroom. Service was a little slow — we had to keep waving down our waitress to take our order, ask for things, etc. which is surprising considering the restaurant was on the higher end. The food was just alright — we weren’t really blown away by anything which was disappointing considering its tripadvisor reviews, etc. But we definitely had better while in Italy
Heather M.
Place rating: 5 Brooklyn, NY
Inventive, absurdly delicious food. A recommendation from a native Roman. Try to the Nero Buono local wine and of course, if truffles are in season, enjoy! Best fiori de zucco I had in three weeks in Rome.
Oriane G.
Place rating: 4 Paris, France
Loved it! Small trattoria near Campo di Fiori. The menu is quite simple but the restaurant also offers many specials. The atmosphere is very cosy. The walls are decorated with many wine bottles. For starters, we tried zucchini flowers stuffed with cheese –quite surprising ! I had only tried zucchini flowers once or twice before. We also had some bresola with cheese. For the main course, I had the turbot cooked in the oven with tradiotional Roman artichoke. My friend took a pasta course with ricotta and lamb. We drank some excellent Italian wine with our courses.
Spencer W.
Place rating: 5 Brooklyn, NY
This place was perfect. I mean it — I ate very happily at a whole slew of touristy(and not-so-touristy) places in Italy and this took the cake. Delicious, friendly, and remarkably affordable. A+.
Helena K.
Place rating: 5 Rome, Italy
Small cozy typical Italian place which I pray won’t become infested with tourists in the future because it is currently perfect. The carbonara with truffles is literally to die for — I would be happy to have that as my last meal on earth. Large portions. The scent of truffle as it arrives on your table is just too much. I do think it was a special menu since it was written on the board and not in the menu and also given the truffle season… Either way the other pastas at my table were fantastic and fresh. Home made pasta and fresh ingredients. Had mortadella and cheese as starters, also delicious. Tiramisu is above average. Good wine selection. Highly recommend it!
Ling L.
Place rating: 5 Hoboken, NJ
I was aiming for 6 stars but the waiter forgot to bring me the extra grissini I asked, so I’ll settle on 5 stars instead. You need to think hard to find a flaw in this place. If you’re looking for the quintessential gastronomic experience, Michelin-star-esque without being Michelin-star-expensive, Renato & Luisa is all that and more. The menu has everything from elaborate appetizers to the classics, including surf and turf and home-made desserts. This is where the Roman cognoscenti indulge, hidden from the crowds of tourists of nearby Campo di Fiori. You really need to know where to look, you won’t stumble upon it by chance. This time around we ordered most of the off-menu items, starting with a hard-to-accomplish new take on the classic fried artichoke(carciofo alla giudia), followed by a flan of octopus on a bed of pesto. We split a carbonara, which was probably the most pedestrian dish we had, and the only one selected from the menu. The second course offered«cotoletta of seabass» and fried lamb chops, both accompanied by roasted potatoes. The seabass was really something memorable, the presentation alone being worth a praise: they kept the right side of the filet on the bone, retaining only a portion of the bones on the left, which they wrapped in aluminum to serve as a handle, the way you’d do it with a cotoletta bone. Smart way to complicate an otherwise simple dish. I loved the desserts, which left me with the curiosity to try the rest of the selection. That double chocolate tart my neighbors ordered seemed almost as good as my chocolate chip crumble pie. Easily a € 50 per person dinner, worth every dime. I love the ambiance, the crowd, and the attentive eye of Renato & Luisa ensuring your experience is nothing less than impeccable. But don’t you ask for seconds on the grissini, not gonna happen!
Guido P.
Place rating: 4 Delta Junction, AK
I’m writing this the morning after a nice dinner at Renato and Luisa. The food was outstanding. Everything, including the service was impeccable. Highly recommended for special occasions, since dishes are quite pricey. Portions are fair though. Only one heart-felt recommendation: do walk your meal off(might take up to three hours) — the food is so heavy that you might wake up the following morning with your dinner still sitting in your stomach!
Ashley A.
Place rating: 5 Reno, NV
Loved this place!!! Near Campo di Fiori but hidden away in an alley, making it less frequented by tourists. Decent prices for the house wine and primo course which were very generous portions. We ordered fiore do zucca which is stuffed zucchini flower. It was the best I’ve had in Rome because the whole flower remains intact and and it is one of the few without anchovies. The matriciana was the best I’ve had yet and what the waiter said was the best dish in the house. We also had the frascarelli tartufi which was a mushroom, truffle pasta. The noodles for both dishes were so thick and fresh! Wish I had room for dessert.
Shelly L.
Place rating: 5 New York, NY
I came here for dinner as one of my first meals in Italy during a 2 week trip. The dishes at Renato e Luisa is presented with such ease, simplicity and precision, it will make you think all Italian food in Italy is supposed to be this amazing.(As I found out through the trip, this is not true, and you can easily have bad meals too) That said, this place is definitely not a tourist trap, not to be missed in Rome! One of the best meals out of my 2 weeks in Italy! My favorites were their special of the day — a fish soup that was made with perfectly cooked seafood(fish, clams, shrimp and mussels) covered in a delicious spicy tomato soup! Their pasta dishes are also to die for — Carbonara with Black Truffle Shavings? Get out of town! Also not to be missed –Fiori di Zucca– stuffed zucchini flowers. Just be sure to make a reservation — they open a 8:30PM.
Kitty O.
Place rating: 3 San Francisco, CA
Our waiter was helpful and nice, but our main dishes came out before we were done with our appetizers… apparently that is taboo in Italy? Plus my friends dish was overdone because of it.
Whitney H.
Place rating: 5 Sebastopol, CA
Wow! This restaurant is an excellent choice for seafood lovers! This place gets packed so make sure you reserve a table in advance. Forget ordering off the menu and go for their specials and don’t forget to bring your appetite because the portions are very generous. Honorable mention goes to their crudo plate and octopus pasta(see pics). I can’t recommend this place enough! Definitely a spot popular with locals… translation: very few tourists. But, no worries the staff are more than accommodating, even if your Italian needs polishing.