Villa Di Roma Restaurant

While visiting from Seattle, we ducked in out of the cold for a drink and stayed for several.... had so much fun, we came back the next night for drinks & dinner. Really enjoyed the family/neighborhood atmosphere. The Villa salad we shared was excellent and the 3 entrees we ordered didn't disappoint either. The Ziti Francis was delicious, and the pointers from Frank for the right eating techniques were most appreciated. The gnocchi was light and fantastic- wish we could find anything like it way over here. Last, but not least, Domenic the bartender was a lot of fun to hang with. Truth be known- the REAL reason we returned!!! Hope to return again soon. In the meantime- we're letting everyone we know about ""youse"". Pros: Friendly service, great food Cons: Long walk from our hotel! more

I've never had a bad meal there ...ever. Good Italian food. Plus it's South Phjilly! Where else?! Pros: Italian Food at it''s best! Cons: waitresses are very good and friendly more

I have been to Villa over a dozen times and each time it is good, solid Italain food. I recommend this place to everybody and it usually one of my top choices when dining out down the city. Love the Bella Buca. Pros: the food..YUM, the cannolis more

Im an Italian girl but just wasn't loving it. The red sauce when I went 4 years ago was enough to keep me form staying away. Atleast it was affordable. more

Stopped in one afternoon with 2 others for lunch, service was good but food was just ok nothing exceptional going on here. If I am going to eat out for dinner I want to stick to a restaurant that is consistently very good. more

Growing up in an Italian household we NEVER went out for Italian food. It's just something we didn't do. When you grow up w/ ""home mades"" that's it. That is until Villa di Roma. My wife introduced me to it at the time we were dating and I was extremely skeptical. Well, that was 7 years ago and I look foward to going every so often ( monthly, lately back to back weekends). If your looking for an old fashioned no frills Italian setting then this is it. Some of the ""older"" servers remind me of my grandmother, not very personable but will do anything for ya. The ""younger ones Lisa and especially AnnaMaire are awsome. The Shrimp scampi sauce is like liquid cra_k. Heavy garlic and heavy butter mmmmmm. You will dip a whole loaf of bread because you can't get enough. Mussels in red are the same. Gnocchi are wonderful and the meatballs are as good as my moms/wife. No kidding. The drive from South Jersey is 100% worth it. Just writing this my mouth is watering. Heck maybe we'll go tonight. Pros: True Italian experience, Scampi sauce, red sauce, pastas Cons: I guess cash only more

Villa di Roma restaurant is like a trashy Bollywood movie -- you know the ones with a poor beginning, a lousy middle and a stupid ending. Located on South 9th St in Philadelphia, Villa di Roma restaurant serves some of the most tasteless Italian food we've had the misfortune to eat in the City of Brotherly Love. \r An egregious insult to Italian cuisine, Villa di Roma food defies the most robust appetite. It's safe to say that Villa di Roma chef wouldn't recognize real pasta. It was that bad. Served in a watery gravy, this spice-less impostor was bland with not even a semblance of taste. Perhaps the Villa di Roma kitchen was scrimping on spices and tomatoes, all of the key ingredients that give the tomato gravy its heavenly taste. If we were disappointed with the pasta, we were mortified by Villa di Roma's steak. Overcooked (in the oven), the mussels were dry with ugly patches of spots. Clearly, Villa di Roma is a restaurant wannabe that seems to be coasting along with an ""anything goes"" attitude. Pasta dishes were pathetic and a complete negation of Italian cooking. Garlic bread was absolutely horrendous that to linger any further on these abominations would be an utter waste of readers' time. With a sweet tooth that even the onset of Diabetes hasn't been able to curb, we ventured into dessert territory. Cannoli was so pitiful that we couldn't believe it came out of an Italian kitchen. Service is an afterthought at Villa di Roma. Our meal ended as it began -- on a bitter note -- with our first sip of the vino, the vilest concoction that ever touched our lips. Villa di Roma is an Italian restaurant that fails at the most elementary tasks. Just what is this restaurant capable of? The sad answer, not much. RY Pros: . Cons: . more

Food great, service great, atmosphere - it is what it is wonderful. The wine price brings it way down... SAD for a wonderful place like this to be dragged down by high priced cheap wine. Pros: Great service, great food, South Philly atmosphere - wonderful. Cons: $18.00 for a half carafe of cheap jug wine. Why? more

Menu was adequate but did not take credit cards and as travelers that is essential. We traveled a distance to get there on a recommendation and were disappointed with the area and the cash only business. We doubt we will return with the green after first impressions. Pros: Cannot comment Cons: Parking, cash only <---enough said! more

We live in the neighborhood and VDR is our favorite -- we can't get enough. We keep saying ""We should really try a new place..."" but once you get a taste of it it's all you're in the mood for. We love it. I get the same dish every single time. The food is basic, it's good, it's traditional. Nothing fancy about it -- which is great. The servers always look like they're having a great time, which adds to the fun, loud (but not too loud!!) atmosphere. Whenenver we have guests visit from out of town we take them to VDR. It's a classic Philadelphia restaurant. Pros: Excellent sauce!!! Servers and bartenders are super friendly Cons: The host/owner might want to work on his charm! He's not the friendliest... more

Excellent! Really well prepared simple Italian American food.. Had chicken cacciatore, escarole with garlic and oil - even had 2 meatballs for good measure... All great - everyone I was with enjoyed as well.. The only people who will not like this are snooty Italian-Italians and non-Italian Americans who went to Italy on a Perillo tour and are now experts on OUR food. This is 100% Italian American South Philly!! Try it!! Pros: Great food Cons: Cash only more

By far, one of the best Italian restaurants I've been to. No frills, great food, little bit of 'tude in the waitresses, but who can blame them? The place is always packed. Extremely reasonable prices. Went with a group of people and everyone was pleased with their dinners! Pros: italian food, great atmosphere Cons: street parking more

Food is never other than great. I first dined there is the early 90's and have returned every time I am in Philly, which is at least 6 times yearly, with several trips to the Villa. Everyone who has gone there with me loved the place. It is such a pleasant Italian food experience don't miss it! Pros: Excellent food, low prices. Cons: Parking is street and sometimes hard to find more

For my first brief visit to Philly, I could not have asked for a better experience. Our waitress was absolutely darling and made sure we were taken care of. She was even nice enough to let me get a picture with her. Being from Seattle, it's hard for me to say if this was ""authentic"" Italian - but personally, I don't care. The food was incredible and unbelievalbly affordable. Sausage, chicken stuffed with ham and cheese, pasta, Cannoli - it was all pefect. And for just over a $100 for 4 (counting appetizers, main courses, wine and desserts) you can't beat it. Go. Now. Pros: Great Food, Personal Service, Affordable Cons: Cash Only more

I was looking for reviews on a restaurant down the street from here and saw this review. I cant believe that anyone gave this place a bad review. I was there with family in June for a b-day party dinner. There were 11 of us and the bill was under 300. The food was excellent, I even ordered a dinner to take home for a family member who I knew would love what I had just had. The waitress Lisa was awesome, I'm going to have to get back there real soon, you cant beat the food or the price ... Pros: Food, Service, Price more

Some reviews on here are sadly from people who wouldn't know good crusine if smacked em in the head. Here is the scoop, this is a fine neigborhood place. Its not romantic candlelit place with soft music in the background. The food is home cooked gravies, meatballs and such fare. These folks don't spare the butter in the delightful and very flavorful scrimp scampi or the seasme encrusted aspagus spears. Steak my way was very tasty as was the chicken with hot peppers points and oil. The waitereses are neigborhood gals who know most of the clientele. Don't expect them to pour your eine for you, its just not that kind of place. I'll be back. And to top it off its cheap. Someone wrote they were expensive ? Not true, for example, a full plate of spaghetti with marinara is $ 7.95. Go figure. Hope this helps DH Pros: Food, Food, Food Cons: Parking, lines, no credit cards more

Staff is authentic South Philly, food is authentic Italian. Menu doesnt change, and that is a good thing. I think Spaghetti and Meatballs are the best around. Some dishes are a little heavy on the butter, but who cares- richer the better. I could go there once a week and not get sick of it more

My mother used to take us there every Sunday, when I was a child. And I loved it! So happy to see this restaurant still in business. Nothing has changed. It still has no-nonsense delicious food and great service. Pros: Inexpensive, Great food, Nice servers more

After reading other reviews, I'm glad I tried this resturant for myself. I found the food very authentic. The selection was tremendous. The service was friendly and informative. Try this place you'll enjoy it. I will be going back. more

This is probably the worst Italian restaurant I have ever eaten in my entire life. The Villa Salad was just crappy, chopped up lettuce with right-out-of-bottle thousand island dressing (although they claim it to be russian dressing) dumped on top. My oil & garlic pasta was way overcooked and tasteless. I could have cooked a decent one myself and save my money for something else. My boyfriend's chicken came out with some nasty sauce with canned mushroom on top. Despite the bad food, the price was not cheap either. The service was ok, but I truly regret the fact that we spent around $50 for this worse than TV dinner food. I will never go back and I don't want to remember that I was ever there. Cons: NASTY FOOD, OVERPRICED more