Updated: March 4, 2024
Updated: May 26, 2024
Occasion: Saturday Evening Dinner
Initial Impressions: We have been here once before already. I was excited to come back and then try a few more things to give you all a nicer review. The restaurant was full when we arrived with a small line outside and full with an even larger line/crowd when we left. Luckily Paolo made a reservation and this was honored. We were seated within a few minutes. It was not so easy to maneuver around the restaurant and it was a bit noisy. There is no outdoor seating (it’s winter). I was fine with our table, it was a higher table with high stools. Unfortunately the main part of the dining room is tight and there is not much room to push a stroller through. However, I suggest my wheelchair and handicap readers to still give this place a shot, but avoid coming on a Friday or Saturday night at dinner time because it may be overwhelming.
Once Seated: Overall the ambience is fun. It would be a very solid choice for a casual or fun date night out and I was excited to write this weekends reviews because they were more economical choices. I would critique that the tables in the middle are too close together and the tables that are against the walls are better, but it’s an intimate setting and the lighting is a dim and warm. I would appreciate it if they brightened it a bit, but it wasn’t terrible lighting like dilirambo. It took a long time for our order to be taken. It was a full house. The menu is available in Italian and English. They have a giant selection of beers/alcohol and some of their non-alcoholic drinks are also made by them. There was a bathroom available (I did not use).
The Food: The burgers here are so good lol. They are on bar with American specialty burgers. Perhaps even competitive with them, and trust me, I ate great burgers in LA, Las Vegas, Dallas, New York, and San Fran. The food here is really well done. We ordered Tomcod, Latt. Sidro Spritz, Fatate Cacio Pepe, Scrocchette Mix, Sherwood, and Mediterraneo.
3/5 Tomcod: I’m not a fan of beer in general. This beer was too bitter for me and I didn’t like it. Paolo seemed ok with it, he wasn’t really raving about how good it tasted, but he finished it. But, I don’t think he would order this again.
5/5 Latt. Sidro Spritz: I opted for the sidro spritz. It did not disappoint!!! I’m not a big fan of beers and the first time we went, I ordered the coke. However, their coke portion is too small and this time I wanted to try an in-between of alcohol and soda. The spitz was refreshing. Not too bitter and not too sweet. It hit the spot also throughout eating all of the heavy food.
5/5 Fatate Cacio Pepe: I thought for a while that fries would be better than just chips the first time we ordered this. This time I don’t know what it was, but it was perfect. The cheese isn’t too salty and the dip that it comes with is addicting. The chips were not too salty and not too oily. They were warm and fresh and not too crunchy. Both times we had this the chips weren’t stale, so I assume it’s made to order.
5/5 Scrocchette Mix: I recommend the scrocchette mix. I never had them before but they are basically soft potato croquettes. I recommend the mix because all of them tasted good. The only critique is that the red things on top of the sauce wasn’t good and actually slightly took away from the dish. If they want something red a really neat thing would be to put a few pomegranate seeds. The slight sweetness and acidity would offer a really refreshing taste to the dish and better texture. The scrocchettes came out piping hot. 🙂
5/5 Sherwood, and Mediterraneo: Sherwood is really really good. The portion of sherwood is also enough. The buns are toasted perfectly. I didnt really find the wooden dowels useful, but whatever. meiterraneo was alright. It paled in comparison to sherwood. I would say sherwood would been a 6/5 and mediterraneo was 5/5. I would say it comes down to taste. I really love a good burger with mushrooms and grilled onions so sherwood is a burger I’ll always order without diverging from the menu every time. I also enjoyed the sesame bun on sherwood. It was slightly sweet. I don’t remember if it was brioche or not but really soft and nice with a slight toast on the inside. From what I remember about mediterraneo, it was refreshing and the tomatoes stood out. It wasn’t as heavy as sherwood.
On our most recent visit we ordered two more things that I am adding to this review!!!
4/5 Fatate Paprika: This wasn’t bad, but it did not taste spicy. Also it is below the cacao e Pepe flavor. Also I docked a star because the mayo was supposed to be infused with tabasco but I couldn’t taste it. Overall a good order if you enjoy paprika, but I like the other flavor better.
5/5 Chicken Tenders (Hot): The chicken tenders weren’t so spicy as advertised. They still tasted good and I would order the same exact flavor again. The barbecue sauce was alright as well. I was just happy to have some chicken tenders.LOL.
Service: The service was a bit slow this time around. They were packed. However, when the waiter came to take our order, we ordered everything at once. I recommend you do this if you come on a busy night. In general I recommend you order everything upfront at restaurants in Rome, unless they are very formal. But you can order dolci after your meal.
Updates (May 26,2024): I have docked a star from Open Baladin because the service is terrible. We asked if we could be moved to a proper table because our table was like a tiny coffee table and mismatched arm chairs. The waitress seemed annoyed and didn’t want to let us move and “asked” the manager or whatever downstairs and came back to us confirming “no.” I wanted to leave then and there. The rest of the time, the proper table next to us was empty. Also I feel that while the food here is good, my tastes are slightly changed and I left feeling it was too heavy. Also the kitchen was dirty and as we were walking out, I walked by right as a cook sneezed. It was a very disappointing dinner. I really want to give the experience two stars, but I will leave it at four and I won’t return for a long time. However if I do, I’ll be sure to update you all and determine whether they keep 4 stars or go down to 3. 🙂
Payment: The total cost was 57.50 euros. I was paid for this time, but the first time I visited, they accepted Apple Pay and American Express (I apple paid with Amex). This was very useful. You pay at the counter here, but they will give you the receipt at your table (typically). Overall, I am really excited to share this with you and hope you enjoy. It is a good deal considering all of the food we ordered and our drinks. I was really pressing this week as well to write about the more affordable options after giving so many reviews about restaurants I ate at on special occasions. 🙂 Enjoy your American burgers-they are lowkey better than a lot of American places-in Rome!!!
Nicole in Rome 